The Collection
by xpiester333x
Summary: A collection of drabbles and one-shots mostly based on prompts on Tumblr. Ratings vary. Mostly ZoSan, but other pairings might be scattered in as well.
1. Chapter 1

__ **xhelloxbeautifullx on Tumblr:** _Zosan prompt ^.^ Zoro telling Sanji he loves him during a dangerous storm_

_1,087 words  
>Rated T for language<em>

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><p>The wind howled across the opening of their cave, tearing across the landscape, ripping off tree branches and sending debris flying through the air.<p>

It had been a mistake to go out with Zoro for supplies. After all, the bastard couldn't walk ten steps without getting lost, and the moment Sanji had taken his eyes off of him he'd disappeared.

At the time however, the marimo had been so insistent. He volunteered himself, claiming he'd had business in town and swearing it didn't involve booze. That alone roused Sanji's curiosity enough to accept the swordsman's invitation, and the extra muscle to carry goods was a definite bonus.

Of course, they weren't half through their shopping trip before Sanji noticed Zoro was no longer obediently following behind him. He managed to catch sight of Zoro just before the green-haired idiot disappeared into the crowd of people, and followed hastily.

Zoro led them out of town, and through the surrounding forest that climbed a slope up the sides of a mountain. He was always too far ahead, appearing somewhere in the distance just long enough for Sanji to alter his direction before disappearing into the scenery again. Damn that marimo hair of his.

Sanji's annoyance doubled when the rain started. Of all times to be on a wilderness trek searching for the shitty national treasure, and increasingly heavy rainstorm was not his ideal. It didn't help when the winds began to pick up, gusts strong enough to topple Sanji's balance, whipped around the trunks of the trees and caught Sanji off guard.

He'd lost sight of the marimo when the rain had started, and now that the storm was raging on in full force, Sanji decided it was probably best to give up his hunt and find shelter. The wind was beginning to make the trees sway and bend in obscene angles. The litter of small branches and twigs that were dislodged in the motion whipped against his body, leaving stinging lashes in their wake. Any longer out in this weather - and he risked serious injury.

Of course, Zoro was probably okay. By now he had probably wandered back down the mountain and found the nearest bar to hole up in. Sanji, on the other hand, would be making due in a small cave he'd just found.

It was too dark to see much beyond the mouth of the small cave, but it wasn't large enough to host anything problematic for Sanji, so he stepped in easily. It would certainly suit his needs until the weather began to let up a bit.

"Cook?" a voice echoed from within.

The speaker was hidden among the shadows, but Sanji didn't need to see the person to know who it was.

"There you are, Shitty marimo," he growled. "I thought you'd have crawled your way back to a bar by now."

Zoro emerged into view. "Uh, no," he replied with a frown. "I got stuck in the storm."

"At least you have to suffer the same fate as me, you bastard," Sanji grumbled. "It makes me feel better to know that at least you have to suffer the same consequences for your actions as I do."

"What actions?" Zoro frowned in confusion.

In his defense, Sanji had had enough. He was soaked to the bone, his suit clinging to him uncomfortably, and the chilled air was causing him to shiver. His arms were littered with small scratches from the blowing debris outside. And all of this because he'd been hunting down an idiot who couldn't avoid getting lost and attracted trouble even in the most innocent situations.

So when he launched a kick as Zoro's head, he'd felt himself well justified.

Zoro dodged just in the nick of time. "What the hell, Cook!"

"You shitty marimo!" Sanji bellowed. "I could have been done already if you hadn't-" the rest of his rant was cut off by another swing of his leg. "Why did you even come!"

"I needed to talk to you!" Zoro managed to shout before Sanji could throw his body backwards in an attempt to kick up at Zoro's chin with more force.

Sanji recovered his balance as quickly as Zoro did. "What on earth could you need to talk to me about that required you to get us lost on a mountain in the middle of a hurricane?!"

Zoro didn't answer, he was too preoccupied with avoiding Sanji's incoming attacks. He was steadily moving in closer, and Sanji moved back to maintain their distance. It was working well in his favor until his back slammed into the rocky surface of the cave wall.

The hit momentarily winded him, and it bought Zoro just enough time. He locked Sanji's outstretched leg in a firm hold and pinned the slighter man bodily to the wall.

Sanji panted, attempting to catch his breath after the hit. Zoro had him now. Unless Sanji could get creative with his remaining free leg, he was trapped.

"Good, now you can listen to me," Zoro was panting as well, the exertion of dodging the cook's attacks having caught up to him.

"Shut up," Sanji spat venomously, but Zoro paid him no heed.

"I love you, Shit-cook."

It came out in one swift breath, so fast Sanji couldn't make sense of it.

"What?"

"I love you," Zoro repeated before adding, "Shit-cook," again for good measure.

Sanji's eyes widened in disbelief, because there was no way those words had just come from Roronoa Zoro's lips.

Those very, very attractive lips…

A sudden bolt of lightning nearly blinded them with a flash of light, followed by a crack of thunder so loud it shook the earth. It distracted them both for a moment, as they turned to watch the storm worsen further.

"It's getting bad out there," Sanji frowned, watching the rain pour with some concern.

"Yeah…" Zoro trailed off.

Deciding to make the most of the cook's current distraction, Zoro sealed his lips over the blond's in a tender kiss.

He was elated when Sanji didn't push him away and ecstatic when the cook kissed him back.


	2. Chapter 2

_Based on **becausethereisonepiece's** headcanon - I have this AU headcanon that Sanji would take Zoro to really loud and long pop concerts because he can't get anyone else to go with him to see people like Britney Spears or Maroon 5 or something idk. And Zoro would bitch and moan the entire drive there but then when they actually get to the concert and sees how much Sanji is actually enjoying himself and how he gets all adorable and excited over some dumb female singer. And maybe Zoro would get all blushy and feel like all the terrible pop music was worth it._

_(Also, Baby 5 as the pop star is inspired by 'Love Me Dead'.)_

_1,500 words  
>Rated K<em>

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><p>Here he was again. How he got here, he wasn't sure. All he knew was that when his boyfriend turned those pleading blue eyes onto him he was powerless to say no. That didn't mean he was happy about it, he couldn't even fake it that well. He folded his arms across his chest and sank lower in his seat, scowling out the window.<p>

"Don't look like that," Sanji chided. "It's not that bad."

Zoro didn't bother responding to that. He let his silence speak for him, it was that bad actually. When he'd started dating Sanji, it was a surprise that the suave and sophisticated blond enjoyed loud and obnoxious pop music. Zoro had thought he was kidding the first time he'd changed the radio station in Zoro's truck to one of the top hit stations. He thought it was a cruel prank when Sanji set that station to Zoro's favorites.

He'd thought about breaking up with the blond when the other man actually started singing the garbage that filtered through the speakers of Zoro's truck. He had nearly killed them when he turned to face Sanji, slack jawed and ignoring the road completely for a moment. At least Sanji had to stop singing to yell at him about almost hitting a semi. It had almost been worth it. The sounds of Sanji's angry shouting had drowned out the god awful noise of the radio for at least an hour.

Still, breaking up with someone for their music choices seemed a little stupid, especially when Sanji was absolutely perfect in every other regard. Zoro had never, and probably would never again, find someone who could match him quite like Sanji did. They were so different, almost complete opposites in a lot of ways, but Sanji easily filled the gaps in Zoro's life. All of his weaknesses and negative traits, Sanji made up for. Likewise, Zoro filled in for Sanji's, and together they were really unstoppable. No, Sanji was perfect, and it didn't matter what his taste in music was.

The first time Sanji had dragged Zoro to a concert, Zoro had been sort of sympathetic. The poor guy had been so excited, raving for weeks about how great this performer was and how he hoped he would get to meet them. It had actually annoyed Zoro to death at the time, but he put up with it because Sanji had been so ecstatic.

When the blond visited him the week before the concert with something close to tears in his eyes, Zoro had been more than a little concerned. It turned out the friend from work that Sanji was supposed to go with had backed out at the last second. He'd been so distraught; Zoro had honestly never seen the blond so upset before. His volunteer to go with Sanji had left his mouth before he had even thought about what he was doing.

And that was the first time Sanji had ever dragged Zoro to a pop concert. It wouldn't be the last either. Each and every time his boyfriend bought concert tickets, something happened and Zoro ended up filling in. By the third one Zoro had already had more than enough, but every time he saw the crestfallen look on Sanji's face he quickly agreed. His own misery had obviously taken a back seat to Sanji's.

"Why couldn't Nami go with you?" Zoro asked irritably. He was pretty sure he had asked this before. And he was sure he'd probably ask it at least once more before they arrived. The redhead had been just excited about this stupid concert as Sanji had, but had to cancel at the last minute.

"She wasn't feeling good, poor angel. I feel so sorry for her." Sanji replied, though his tone didn't sound very sympathetic. It was rare for Sanji to sound so unconcerned for a woman, but really nothing could stand between the maniac pop fan and his concerts.

Zoro grunted in acknowledgement and returned to glaring out the window. They were almost there, Sanji was exiting the freeway now, and Zoro could feel a sense of foreboding as they turned off the exit and headed into the city. The traffic grew thick around them, and Zoro was glad that at least Sanji didn't dress himself up with memorabilia the way many of these concert goers apparently did. He could see them through the window, and he decided to direct his attention to the dashboard of the car for the remainder of the drive.

The banner over the entrance of the venue read "BABY 5 LIVE IN CONCERT OCT 16" and was obnoxiously pink. Likewise, the crowd that had lined up below it for entry were mostly sporting the same blinding color in their clothing. Zoro could feel a headache building at the sight of so much pink, and he opted to shut his eyes until Sanji nudged him to move up in the line.

Sanji presented their tickets to an irritable looking woman, who looked them over and scanned a bar code on the bottom of them both before handing them back to Sanji. Sanji thanked her with a charming smile that was wasted on the woman. She returned it with a roll of her eyes and ushered the next people in line forward.

"We made it in time!" Sanji cried happily as they took their seats.

Zoro wanted to grumble about how that just meant they'd actually have to see the whole thing and be here that much longer, but the look on his boyfriend's face stopped him. Sanji was beaming at him and practically bouncing in his seat with excitement. Zoro could see his legs twitching in anticipation, and his long fingers were drumming impatiently against his thigh.

Well, Zoro could probably keep quiet and let the blond enjoy his evening. Maybe he'd even try to enjoy the show. It may not have been his type of music, but usually the performers put on a pretty good act anyway. He was just starting to get used to the idea when Baby 5 stepped out on stage and the crowd went wild. The screaming was so loud Zoro thought his ear drums would give out. He really needed to start bringing ear plugs to these things.

"Oh! Look, Zoro!" The blond cried. "Isn't she gorgeous? She's got to be the most beautiful woman in the whole world!"

Zoro didn't bother pointing out that Sanji said the same thing about the Jewelry Bonney when they'd seen her in concert last month, or that he'd said that about Robin last week, and Nami not five hours ago. Instead he made a noncommittal noise that was lost under the shrieking of the crowd anyway. It wasn't like the blond was really looking for an answer anyway; he was too busy craning his head around a flurry of waving arms, trying to get a better glimpse at the singer on stage.

She was making some kind of opening speech, a "Thank you for coming" and "I love insert-city-here so much", the same spiel Zoro had heard out of the mouths of countless performers. Zoro glanced sideways as Sanji. His boyfriend was practically hanging on every word the woman was saying. His eyes were sparkling, true joy shining in those blue eyes. He was smiling still, a broad grin stretched permanently across his face as the opening riffs of the first song began to place. Sanji cheered along with the crowd, bouncing up and down slightly with the beat. He was the picture of excitement, and Zoro couldn't help but chuckle.

Sanji noticed Zoro watching him. He turned to look at him with some concern, as if wondering why Zoro would be looking at him and not watching Baby 5's every move on stage.

"What is it?" Sanji asked, though his voice was lost under the bass that rolled through the speakers and reverberated in Zoro's chest.

Zoro shook his head. He leaned closer, there was no way the blond could hear him if he didn't. His nose brushed soft strands of golden hair as he spoke into his boyfriend's ear.

"You are so fucking cute," Zoro told him.

Sanji pulled back, just far enough to look Zoro in the eye. His face was flushed red and Zoro couldn't help but feel somewhat proud of himself.

"W-what?" The blond spluttered.

"You heard me," Zoro laughed. He planted a quick kiss on Sanji's lips. The blond didn't react, he just continued to survey Zoro with the same shocked expression. "Now enjoy the show."

After a few more moments of stunned silence, the blond finally did as he was told, turning back to face the stage and cheering as the first song came to an end. Zoro leaned back his seat, stretching himself out as much as possible. From this angle he could see Sanji clearly, nearly on the edge of his chair in excitement. Well, maybe Zoro could get used to these pop concerts.


	3. Chapter 3

_A gift for **Kumiko Hasegawa** because she's great and her fics are great and she deserved it._

_567 word  
>Rated M<em>

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><p>Pressure mounted, the feeling of stemming from his groin caused his limbs to stiffen. They were useless to him, beyond his control as he hurtled to the top of that ultimate peak, ready to spill over to the other side.<p>

And then all at once it stopped.

"God damn it, Zoro," Sanji snapped. He tried to sound menacing, but his voice came out as more of a whine; broken and needy.

Zoro chuckled. "How many times is that, Cook?"

"You're a fucking bastard," Sanji cursed him breathlessly as Zoro drug curious fingers up his bare thighs. He was too sensitive, every touch Zoro made against his skin tingled and fed the high of arousal he was drowning in.

"That's not the answer I was looking for," Zoro smirked, trailing a finger up Sanji's needy arousal.

Sanji's cock leapt in response, seeking out more contact, and Sanji couldn't stop the whimper that spilled from his lips.

"How many times," Zoro continued, his fingers dragging lightly over the head of Sanji's cock before trailing back down the shaft. "Have you come close to coming?"

Sanji struggled against his binds, trying desperately to will Zoro into touching him more. The teasing, light touches were killing him.

Zoro's hand withdrew entirely, and Sanji cried out at the loss.

"How many times, Sanji?" Zoro repeated, his voice stern and serious.

"I don't know!" Sanji cried in frustration, struggling to free even one arm, just to be able to touch himself. He was so wet, precome leaking from his cock with every touch Zoro supplied. He couldn't remember ever being so aroused, so _desperate_ in his entire life. He needed to come, or he might go mad from it.

Zoro's fingers returned, resuming their previous light, almost nonexistent touches, but they felt _too_ good against Sanji's heated skin. His head tipped backwards, his brow scrunched in concentration as he focused on the feeling.

"More than once, wasn't it?" Zoro asked. He sounded too composed, too conversational for the current train wreck Sanji's mind had become.

"Yes," Sanji gasped as Zoro's fingers wrapped gently around him, still working his heated arousal in a loose grip.

"More than twice too, yes?"

"Ah! Yes!" Sanji moaned. Zoro's hand tightened it's grip, just slightly, and his pace picked up.

"Three times?" Zoro wondered.

"More," Sanji whimpered. It was both an answer and a plea as Zoro's hand gripped him; he was so, so close. He could feel the uncontrollable trembling in his hips and thighs. He could feel the way his body jerked and twitched against his will. And most importantly, he could feel that building heat; burning hotter and rushing faster through his blood stream than it had before.

"Please…Zoro. Ah! Just…please…please!" He begged, his voice breaking with every desperate breath. He was right there, the edge of the cliff rushing forward to meet him. He was going to come harder than he'd ever come before, he could feel it and, _god_, he needed it.

"I-I'm…" Sanji uttered, feeling the end rushing near.

…and then nothing.

"Fuck you, Zoro!" Sanji practically screamed, pitching a fit that drowned out the laughter of the green haired man.

"Yeah," Zoro managed between chuckles. "That's five, should we go for six?"


	4. Chapter 4

_**anonymous asked:** You're taking prompts? Why didn't I know? Eh... Would it be possible that you write a fanfic in which Sanji is the Slenderman? Dunno what the plot would be. But it'd be awesome if you tried. If you want, that is. Please?_

_372 words  
>Rated...T?<em>

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><p>That feeling that he was being watched was haunting Zoro again. He peered around, looking over his shoulder and surveying the surrounding area. There was nothing there though, unless you counted some trees and a drinking fountain.<p>

This was getting ridiculous. Zoro shrugged further into his coat in frustration. It wasn't the first time Zoro had felt this feeling of being watched. It was a near constant feeling these days; even at night he would lie awake for hours, afraid to close his eyes in case his stalker decided to make his move.

A rustle of leaves startled Zoro from his grumpy thoughts, and he twisted to face the noise. A squirrel made its way down the trunk of a tree and across the ground before disappearing from view again.

This was getting ridiculous.

Zoro made it to the safety of his home and slammed the door securely behind him, pressing his back against it. He was going crazy, he was sure of it. With a relieved sigh, Zoro turned to turn the lock, just to be safe, and let out a startled yelp.

There, on his porch, stood a figure, too tall to be normal, with long, slender legs, and a slim figure. The person was dressed nicely in a freshly pressed suit and a blue pinstriped shirt. His face was a blank white canvas save for the one distinctive eyebrow shape that curled at the end and a mop of blond hair fell onto his "face".

Zoro yelped again, falling away from the door as the figure moved when he did, following his every movement with none existent eyes.

Using every last ounce of his courage, Zoro threw himself at the door, twisting the deadbolt lock into place before running for his room, hoping to hide away long enough to call the police.

The startled teen fled the room, disappearing from the windows view. Not that that was going to do him any good. If the figure had a face, he would have been smirking. As it was his only distinct feature, the one curled eyebrow twitched in happiness as he moved through the door like it was water rather than solid wood and set off to pursue his prey.


	5. Chapter 5

_**anonymous asked:** How about some fluff? Sanji, Zoro, and zoro's frown lines? :D_

_311 words  
>Rated K+<em>

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><p>It was the first time Sanji had ever really looked at Zoro. Of course he'd looked at the moss-headed swordsman before, but he'd never really looked at him, not like this. Not in a way so in depth that he'd taken special notice of the texture of Zoro's skin or the way his eyes shined when he was rising to meet some sort of challenge.<p>

And never before had Sanji noticed those wrinkles on Zoro's brow and the corner of his lips.

They were obvious frown lines, and it was no wonder with the way the swordsman was constantly scowling. Still, Sanji hadn't noticed that they'd gotten so deep. Zoro was a young man, after all, and he looked much older when you took his appearance in the way Sanji currently was.

"What are you staring at, Shit-cook?" Zoro's frown deepened, and he peaked one eye open, fixing Sanji with a look that suggested he'd caught the cook doing something wrong.

Sanji didn't look flustered or get huffy the way Zoro had expected him to. Instead, he knelt down, setting the tray of prepared snacks aside momentarily. Zoro watched with wide, cautious eyes as Sanji came closer, one hand resting on his shoulder and the other supporting him between them.

Zoro knew what was happening a split second before Sanji's soft lips pressed against his. Zoro was powerless against his desire to return the kiss, meeting the cook's lips with a kiss of his own.

They pulled away, Sanji slightly out of breath and panting slightly as Zoro watched him with a mixture of surprise, confusion, and barely concealed want.

"Smile more, Marimo," Sanji said softly, tracing his fingers along one of those deepened lines before turning away, picking up the tray of snacks once again, and disappearing.

From now on, he would do whatever it took to make Zoro smile.


	6. Chapter 6

_**candy-of-doom asked:** ZoSan. Sanji is having a quarrel with Zoro while standing in a queue for Heaven. They've met each other a few minutes ago, when they were trying to get out of a burning bus and successfully blocked each other's way out._

_989 words  
>Rated T<em>

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><p>The last things Sanji remembered were heat and a burning feeling in his chest that felt as though he were drowning in fire. No matter how hard he pulled for air, only searing pain and panic coursed through his body.<p>

He was painless now, even the sore feet he usually had after a day at the restaurant were blissfully pain free. He felt lighter, as if his daily worries and problems had slipped away. It was a pleasant feeling, and he felt no pressing need to open his eyes and end his peaceful moment.

"Oi, Curly-brow, wake up and get moving, you're holding up the line."

That voice snapped Sanji to alertness in a flash. It ignited an instant feeling of rage in Sanji's system, and his eyes shot open to properly glare at the speaker.

It was blindingly light, but Sanji's eyes didn't sting or water at the sudden change in brightness as they usually would. Instead he was free to take in his strange surroundings.

The landscape seemed to shift, changing form constantly. It never settled into one shape long enough to make out its exact shape or texture before changing again. It was a confusing process that would have hurt his head had been in a normal, not so pain free state.

He looked around some more for some other clue to his whereabouts. It seemed there were other people here, lined up in front of him in a loose and scattered line. While he could see them well enough to identify them as people, any attempt to pick out distinguishing features about them was impossible as they seemed to be made of the same stuff as the landscape. He followed their trail up to the only solid and recognizable object in the visible area; a towering archway made of something opalescent and white.

"Would you move already?"

Scratch that, there was a second identifiable object in the area, but the large archway was far more attractive than the annoying green-haired bastard behind him.

"What did you say to me, moss for brains?" Sanji scowled.

This bastard had been the source of all of Sanji's problems today. Okay, so maybe it wasn't exactly this is idiot's fault that the bus ended up in that accident. In fact, Sanji wasn't entirely sure what had caused it. There wasn't much time to figure it out after he'd righted himself in the tipped over wreckage and discovered there was a fire raging far too close to the bus' fuel system.

It was fortunate that there were very few people riding the bus at the time of the crash. It was even more fortunate that the bus had landed in such a way that they were still able to make use of the main doors.

Those that had recovered quickly after the crash made their way towards their only means of escape, while Sanji stayed behind in an attempt to rouse those that had been knocked unconscious or were injured at the time of the crash. Those he failed to rouse he hauled to the front of the bus and, with the help of a few volunteers, managed to get them to safety.

He was not the only one doing this. It seemed another passenger had the same sense of obligation as Sanji felt towards the injured. Sanji was more than glad for the help though, as the bus continued to burn and smoke grew thicker in the small area.

The last man handed out, Sanji did one final check of the bus before deciding to escape to safety himself.

"Are there any more?" the stranger that had been helping him asked. He was waiting by the exit, obviously ready to leave as well, but staying in case he was needed. He was a young guy around Sanji's age, with algae green hair and a permanent scowl on his face, but at the time Sanji was more than thankful for the man.

"No, that was the last one," Sanji replied, joining the stranger at the exit. "Ready to go?"

The strange man nodded and reached for the open doorway, ready to heave himself out and into the open, clean air beyond.

Unfortunately, Sanji had the same idea at the same time, and their bodies tangled and collided in midair, sending them both crashing back down.

"What the hell?" Sanji voiced in irritation.

"That's what I wasn't to ask," the man snapped. "I saved way more people than you, I deserve to get out of here first!"

"This wasn't a competition, idiot!" Sanji shouted. Shouting was a bad idea, as was getting angry, as he began sucking in larger lungfuls of air that were more smoke than oxygen.

"No but I sure as hell pulled my weight, the least you could do is let me out first."

Sanji could already feel his head spinning, and his throat and lungs burned from the toxic air, but something about the stranger made him refuse to give in.

"I saved just as many people as you did, you bastard," Sanji gasped.

Their argument continued, a never ending cycle of insults and a competition in whose life was more valuable. They went at it despite the screaming ache in Sanji's lungs, and they were still at it up until the moment Sanji had lost consciousness.

"I said move it," the green-haired man repeated. "Your attitude already got us killed today, I'll be damned if I'm going to let it keep me out of heaven."

Sanji balked at the notion of his death, but the moment was brief before the rest of the moss head's words sunk in.

"I'm not the one that got us killed! That was you!"

The wait to get into heaven can be a rather long one, unless you have something to keep you busy. Fortunately for Sanji he'd be busy arguing with the green-haired man for the rest of his time.


	7. Chapter 7

_**_ohsorubbedraw asked: _**Heheheh if you want to write a prompt...here it is! (idk if you've read or watched it though) Hunger Games AU, zosan/sanzo, you can write whatever...or how about one of them dies and the other one can only watch, or goes on a rampage._

_807 words  
>Rated T<em>

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><p>Sanji knew their alliance had been a bad idea. Maybe it was easy for the others to simply dissolve their alliance after a time, but Sanji felt an attachment for the people he'd been working with. They were once his partners, people he trusted to watch over him while he slept, people who shared the same fears and concerns he did. Now they were his enemies, and he would either have to watch them die or kill them by his own hand. He wasn't sure which he preferred.<p>

He felt especially close to Zoro. The bizarre looking green-haired bastard was annoying, lazy, and couldn't walk a straight line without getting lost, but despite their differences Sanji felt an immediate pull towards the guy. Zoro was pragmatic but merciful, callous but kind. He was an enigma to Sanji. In this kill or be killed setting, a cold and cruel reality, Zoro was taking a different approach; a middle route no one else could see.

Their relationship had been rocky from the start, built around their differences with a foundation of insults, but Sanji felt closer to Zoro than anyone else. He had some sort of deep connection with the other man, and he wished from the bottom of his heart that they'd been able to meet under different circumstances.

Sanji had no doubt Zoro would be the one to kill him. His skill with a sword was more than impressive, and what he lacked in strategy and finesse he more than made up for with sheer strength. He was the only one that could fight on par with Sanji. Sanji wasn't stupid enough to let himself be killed by the others; their skills were lacking, and he would have to make a really dumb mistake for one of them to get the better of him.

Speaking truthfully, Sanji knew it would come down to he and Zoro in the end. In fact, he'd planned on it, and he knew exactly what he would do when that happened.

Sanji was prepared to lay down his life for Zoro. If it came down to the two of them, he'd let Zoro kill him.

He'd considered killing himself first, sparing Zoro the guilt, but he knew the swordsman would see it as an act of pity. He wouldn't do that. He'd fight the green-haired man head on (because giving himself up would be just as bad as killing himself) and he'd make sure Zoro won.

That was the plan. He was ready for it.

Of course Zoro had to throw a wrench in his plan. Of course the moron couldn't just let Sanji make a decision and stick to it.

Of course the bastard that barely showed Sanji more than a trace of concern would slip between Sanji and the throwing knife one of the remaining tributes had thrown in a desperate effort to save her own life. It wasn't even a particularly good throw, but Sanji wasn't paying attention and it was at least well aimed.

Zoro's timing was unbeatable as he slid in between Sanji and the blade. Sanji watched in disbelief as the blade sank into Zoro's chest, and his blood blossomed like a deadly flower from the wound.

"Shit," Zoro cursed, crumpling, falling back against Sanji's chest where Sanji was ready to catch him.

Sanji watched in horror as Zoro struggled for breath, his gasps for air causing a gurgling sound that rang in Sanji's ears like it was being amplified by a loud speaker. He had no idea what had happened to the girl. She was gone before he could look up. She was lucky.

"This," Zoro managed between breaths. "Was not how I planned this to go," He coughed out.

Sanji's fingers flitted desperately around the wound. He wasn't sure what he should do. Pull the knife out? But what if Zoro only bled out faster? Apply pressure? But then what?

Zoro's fingers caught his, tangling with them and squeezing them in a grip that was surprisingly tight for how shallow his breathing had gotten.

"I'm sorry, Cook," Zoro wheezed out. His voice was weaker now. Fading every word he spoke. "I meant to get them all first," A pause. "At least you won't have to be the one to…"

"Shut up!" Sanji growled. "You shitty swordsman! You were supposed to win this!"

Zoro smiled up at Sanji, and despite the weighted feeling in his limbs, he managed to tangle one of his hands into the blond's soft golden strands. Sanji was crying, unrestrained tears landing in Zoro's hair.

Zoro had a lot he wanted to say, but he wouldn't get the chance. At that moment his body gave out, his vision darkened, and the last thing he saw before he blacked out entirely was the shape of his name formed on the blond's lips.


	8. Chapter 8

_"Put three characters in my ask box and I will write a fan fiction with each in it" - **awesometashis **gave me Zoro, Sanji, and Ace._

_722 words  
>Rated TM_

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><p>This was really pissing Zoro off… though he wasn't really sure why. Sanji was free to flirt with whoever he wanted, really. A few tumbles in the hold hardly counted as a lasting relationship. Besides, the stupid love-cook flirted with the girls constantly; Zoro was more than used to that. So what exactly about this situation was pissing Zoro off?<p>

"Did you need anything else, Ace?"

Zoro tensed as the words grated against his skin. _Ace_. That fire wielding bastard had stopped in for a visit. He'd snuck aboard in the dead of night and surprised them all in the morning. He'd gotten Zoro in quite a bit of trouble with both the cook and the sea witch for sleeping on his watch. Not that it mattered, Ace was their friend so it wasn't like they were under attack.

"No, thank you, Sanji," Ace replied to the cook with a winning smile.

Sanji returned the smile with one of his own and moved on to crow over the girls. Ace's eyes trailed after him, his smile turning lecherous as he watched the cook bend over the table to snatch one of Robin's scones from Luffy's grasp. Zoro glowered into his glass of juice, trying hard not to notice these things, and trying even harder not to care.

"Hey, Zoro," Ace called quietly, leaning towards the swordsman, a conspiratorial smile on his face. "What do you think Sanji looks like naked?"

Ace was very fortunate that Zoro had already swallowed his sip of juice, otherwise he might have spit it out all over the flame man. "What?!"

"Come on," Ace smirked. "You can't tell me you've never pictured it. With those tight clothes he wears? You've got to be curious."

Zoro had been curious at one point. He'd find himself slipping into fantasies about what that shit-cook might look like under all those fussy clothes.

"He looks too skinny," Ace commented and Zoro was about half a second from replying that the cook was _not_ too skinny, before he reminded himself that he was not going to have this conversation.

Ace continued on anyway. "But I bet that's not the case. He's pretty strong, I bet he has a lot of muscle, all packed together on that lean frame."

Zoro really did not need to be visualizing the cook's muscles, rolling and flexing under his smooth, pale skin.

"And those legs," Ace sighed wistfully. "They're so long, they just go on forever. His legs are strong, right? What I wouldn't give to have those wrapped around me for the night."

Ace had no idea. Sanji's legs were powerful lean muscles and tendons wrapped around bone. Being between them, having them wrapped around you, was both terrifying and elating. The cook's true strength lay in those legs, and Zoro knew what it was like to be at their mercy… in more ways than one.

"Along with that shiny blond hair and those pretty blue eyes, your cook is really something to look at," Ace finished with a sip of his coffee.

The cook's hair was special. The shiny golden strands that felt like silk when Zoro ran his hands through it were really something. And those 'pretty blue eyes' were particularly amazing to Zoro. How they could go from a blue as cold as ice to something warmer like a summer's sky and back to something deep, almost grey, and thoughtful was beyond Zoro. It was like the ocean itself existed in Sanji's eyes and brought all of its wild unpredictability with it.

"Zoro?" Sanji called, looking quizzically at the swordsman. "Is something wrong?"

Zoro hadn't realized he'd been staring. Sanji wasn't the only one to notice, it seemed several of his crew members had noticed his absent minded staring at the love-cook. Zoro felt his face heat and lowered his head, studding his breakfast.

"Nothing's wrong, shit-cook," He replied to his eggs.

Sanji frowned but shrugged, returning to his cooing. From his left he could hear the fire user snickering. Zoro glared at him, and allowed one hand to rest threateningly on the hilt of one of his swords. Ace seemed to notice the action and raised one skeptical eyebrow at the swordsman.

"You're right about one thing, Ace," Zoro growled, low enough to keep any eavesdroppers from hearing. "He is _my_ Cook."


	9. Chapter 9

_From prompt queen **MyLadyDay** - "ZoSan, they're flies"._

_Words 245  
>Rating K+<em>

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><p>The buzzing noise broken by the steady clinking of glass was getting on Sanji's nerves.<p>

"Give it a rest already, Marimo," Sanji growled out irritably.

Zoro stopped tapping against the glass long enough to turn and glare at the cook. Or Sanji assumed it was a glare. The effect was kind of lost with his new compound eyes.

"Do you want to be stuck like this forever?" Zoro snapped.

"The others went to find the witch, there's nothing much we can do like this," Sanji sighed, flicking his wings in irritation.

"Well I'm not going to wait here to be rescued," Zoro scoffed before resuming his futile tapping against the glass.

Sanji growled, his patience snapping in two like a dry twig. "I never imagined you could ever possibly be more annoying, but having someone turn you into a fly is my worst nightmare."

"What did you say?" Zoro ground out.

"You heard me," Sanji spat. "And if that witch hadn't caught me in this stupid spell too, I would have smashed you with a swatter already."

Zoro landed against the glass wall of the jar they were trapped in. "You couldn't beat me even if you were still human."

Later, when the crew returned with the subdued witch in custody, they found their nakama-turned-flies buzzing wildly in the jar, bodies colliding occasionally.

"Look, they're playing!" Luffy exclaimed in amusement. "I want to be a fly so I can play with Sanji and Zoro too!"


	10. Chapter 10

_For **Gagakuma's** birthday_

_1,460 words  
>Rated T<em>

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><p><em>Being captive is boring<em>, Sanji thought, sighing heavily as he tried to settle himself down for a nap until his captors came back. He might as well, there was nothing better to do.

Unfortunately, the stiff ache in his arms that were cuffed behind his back and the cold hard press of the chair for too many hours made falling to sleep difficult. He tried shifting, hoping to encourage some blood flow to his numb rear, but to no avail.

Suddenly there was a loud racket coming from somewhere beyond his cell. A man's voice rang out, vaguely familiar but difficult to distinguish among the scuffle of feet and the echoes in the stone corridor.

Fortunately for Sanji they were coming closer, close enough to make out words and voices, though he immediately wished he couldn't.

"I'm moving, so why do you keep pushing me?!" Zoro's complaint reached Sanji's cell and seemed to reverberate off the stone and metal that made up his cell.

"Shut up," Another voice, probably the guard, spoke. His voice was much quieter and sounded dreadfully unamused by the fit the shitty swordsman was throwing.

"Ohh, I get it," Sanji could practically hear the sadistic smile on the swordsman's face. "You like touching men, right? You're more of a pervert than that pervert cook," Zoro chuckled, obviously amused by his own shitty joke.

As if Sanji wasn't having a bad enough day, he could hear the stop of their feet followed by the jingle of keys right outside of his cell door. /Oh no. No no no/, he mentally willed them to move on. Anywhere, the shitty swordsman could drown in the sea for all Sanji cared, just not—

His train of thought was detailed by the grating of the heavy cell door as it was pried open and a body was shoved inside.

Zoro fell to his knees, his balance compromised by the manacles securing his hands. He scraped painfully along the stone floor and sent a scathing look back at the burly guard that had shoved him in.

"That wasn't nice," Zoro chided but was ignored as the guard hauled him up by the collar of his filthy white shirt, manhandling him to a place beyond Sanji's field of vision.

There was a heavy thunk against his back, and he could hear Zoro's breathy exhale as the wind was knocked out of him. Sanji assumed he'd been forced into a cold hard chair much like his own. He jerked away from the brush of Zoro's hands against his and shot a glare over his shoulder as if Zoro could help it.

Once the guard had finished securing Zoro to his seat, he made for the door, stopping to share a sympathetic look with Sanji.

"He's your problem now," the guard said, and then he was gone, closing the door behind him and plunging Sanji into darkness with only the marimo for company. Great.

"What the hell are you doing, shitty swordsman?" Sanji grumbled irritably.

"Nice to see you too, Cook," Zoro chuckled. He didn't sound at all worried about his current predicament. Not that Sanji was worried about the marimo's predicament either. The bastard could rot in jail for all Sanji cared.

"How'd you end up in here, Marimo?" Sanji asked. "Another drunken bar fight?"

"I'm here to rescue the helpless damsel," Zoro smirked over his shoulder. His fingers brushed against Sanji's behind their backs. He hooked his fingers through Sanji's, squeezing the cook's slender digits in a gesture of reassurance. One that Sanji did not appreciate.

"I do not need rescuing!" Sanji growled, yanking his hands as far away from Zoro's as he could. It caused a painful wrench in his shoulders, but it was worth it to escape the bastard's grasp.

"Doesn't look that way to me," Zoro snorted.

Sanji couldn't exactly argue that, but he wasn't going to let Zoro get the best of him. "You're not exactly doing much better yourself, shitty-marimo," He pointed out smugly.

"No?" Zoro asked. He sounded too self-assured for someone so stuck, but it put Sanji a little on edge. He hated for Zoro to show him up.

There was a strange popping crunch, and something brushed against Sanji's hands. Something that felt metallic, but the touch was gone before he could identify what it might have been. There was a clattering noise immediately after, and Sanji could see something move out of the corner of his eye.

"Ah-hah," Zoro declared triumphantly.

Sanji's head snapped to the side. There Zoro stood, free of his bindings, by the one small window of the otherwise completely sealed cell.

"Robin really comes in handy when you need her to," He took a moment to laugh at his own joke before reaching through the narrow space between the bars. He pulled first sword through, then a second, and finally a third, securing each to his hip while Sanji watched in awe.

"What the hell?" Sanji asked, but at that moment there were three taps on the cell door.

Zoro strode over, tapping three times on the door himself. A small ring of keys was handed through the slot in the door. The hand that passed them off was elegant and familiar…a hand Sanji had worshiped at least once before.

"Thanks, Robin," Zoro said, accepting the keys and turning back to Sanji.

"Robin-chan?" Sanji asked, curiously. He swore he could hear her answering chuckle from a distance.

"Sure, I needed a little help," Zoro shrugged. "Now," He leaned forward, his hands supporting his weight against the back of the chair on either side of Sanji's body. Sanji was effectively trapped, even more now than before.

"Pay up," Zoro said to him.

"What?" Sanji frowned, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"Pay up," Zoro repeated. "When the prince comes to save the princess, he always gets a kiss, right?"

"Who's a fucking princess?!" Sanji spat. "Just let me out of here, you shitty marimo!"

"Not until you kiss me," Zoro demanded, leaning forward slightly, invading Sanji's personal space. "Come on, Cook. I'm risking my life here for you."

"And precious Robin-chwan's too," Sanji glowered.

"She volunteered," Zoro shrugged dismissively. "So? My reward?"

Sanji was dying for a cigarette. He wasn't sure exactly how long he's been locked in this shitty cell but it had to have been at least a day. His arms and ass were sore, he had to piss worse than he could ever remember, and he was _dying_ for a cigarette.

"One fucking kiss, Marimo," He growled before leaning forward, closing the distance between them and pressing his lips against Zoro.

Zoro kissed him back, hard, pushing Sanji back against the chair with the force of his lips, stealing his breath away. Sanji would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy it, just a little bit. Zoro could really kiss. For a moment Sanji forgot where he was, forgot that he was imprisoned, tied up, and uncomfortable in his bonds. For one moment it was just the movement of Zoro's clever lips against his own and nothing else.

But when the marimo's tongue flicked questioningly against his lips, Sanji decided that was enough.

"Back off, shithead," He gritted out. "And get me the hell out of these cuffs."

"I'm one step ahead of you," Zoro smirked, producing the manacles from behind Sanji's back. Apparently he'd been working on unlocking them the whole time he was kissing Sanji, and there was something infuriating about that to the cook.

Zoro freed Sanji's legs from the chair easily, and narrowly dodged a kick to the head once he'd done so.

"Hey!" Zoro protested, but Sanji ignored him.

Sanji stretched, joints popping as they loosened up. He groaned in relief and turned back to the marimo. Zoro was eyeing him the same way Luffy might eye a pile of meat and Sanji smirked, arching his back in one final stretch that he knew Zoro would appreciate.

"Hurry up and open the door, shitty swordsman," Sanji smirked. This might be his ticket out of here quickly and it seemed to keep the swordsman quiet, which was an added bonus. "The sooner we get back to the ship, the better, right?"

Unfortunately, it seemed Sanji's bribe worked a little too well. Rather than unlocking the door quietly, Zoro drew his swords and made quick work of the thick metal…which then landed with an alarming crash that reverberated up and down the stone walls. It took the guards no time at all to find them, and the escape from the prison was narrow even with Robin's help.

And needless to say, after that little stunt Sanji didn't feel much like speaking to Zoro at all, let alone making good on his offers.


	11. Chapter 11

_314 words  
>Rated T<em>

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><p><em>You're not even worth holding a conversation with.<em>

Sanji shook his head, trying to rid his mind of the nasty voice that had been trying all day to corrupt his mind. Ever since Zoro had walked out the door that morning, Sanji hadn't moved from the couch. He sat staring at the TV. He wasn't even sure what program was playing, but the distraction had been enough to keep those evil thoughts at bay.

_You're disgusting. Can you even blame him for getting sick of you? _

No, Sanji didn't blame Zoro. Their relationship had been rocky to start with. Zoro leaving had only been a matter of time, and honestly Sanji had been surprised it had lasted as long as it did.

_No one wants to put up with you. You'll be this way forever. Ruining people's lives, disturbing their peaceful existences. Right up until you die, you'll be nothing more than a black speck in the lives of everyone who's ever had to deal with you._

Sanji was sure he wouldn't see Zoro again. No one ever came back after leaving that way. Luffy would probably be by in a couple of days for Zoro's things. Then he'd be gone.

_No one wants you around._

Sanji glanced up at the sword rack above their mantel…his mantel. Zoro's swords, his most prized possessions, sat proudly on display. Zoro had to have been really desperate to leave to have left them behind.

_You deserve to die alone._

Sanji stood, scooping up the remote to turn off the TV. He spent one moment taking in the disturbing silence of his apartment. It was so much more quiet than he was used to…but that was probably the way it would be from now on.

_You should die alone._

Sanji turned from the living room, making for his bedroom. He curled into his large bed, alone, and slept.


	12. Chapter 12

_**lexiangrybird asked:** That sad tumblr fic thing with Zoro left...you should most definitely do more of it_

_473 words  
>Rated K+<em>

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><p>Sanji wasn't in the mood for company, but the incessant knocking at the door was working directly against his wishes. He had a feeling he knew who it would be. Luffy, most likely, or if he was really unlucky - Nami. One of Zoro's friends for sure, here to gather his things so that Zoro never had to see him again.<p>

With willpower he didn't know he possessed, Sanji got himself out of bed. He kept the comforter draped around him as if it might help protect him from the onslaught of dark looks or rude comments he was no doubt about to receive.

The banging on the door continued until Sanji clicked the lock back. The person on the other side paused and waited for Sanji to open the door. Sanji took a deep breath before turning the knob and tugging the door.

"God dammit, Cook, I've been knocking for almost ten minutes! The old lady down the hall did that thing where she glares at you because god forbid you make any noise in the damn hallway."

Zoro's rant was lost on Sanji as he took in the other's appearance. Zoro looked tired; dark bags under his eyes evident even under the tanned skin.

"You look like shit," Zoro commented, breaking Sanji's train of thought.

"I could say the same to you," Sanji snapped. This was the worst possible scenario. For Zoro to come here himself meant that Sanji would have to watch Zoro walk out on him twice. He wasn't sure he could handle that.

"Cook," Zoro started, pausing to sigh and gesturing words with his hands that his mouth seemed unable to form.

"You came for your stuff, right?" Sanji asked, stepping aside to let Zoro in and turning towards the hall. "That's fine. I'll be in the bedroom. I could gather your clothes while I'm in there..."

Sanji was cut off but a tug at the blanket around him. He stumbled backwards, falling back into an embrace that was both familiar and now heart breaking.

Sanji couldn't bring himself to pull away, no matter how much he knew he should. He needed to cut Zoro from his life, and accept that that was how things would be. But the arms around him tightened, derailing his train of thought.

"I'm sorry," Zoro muttered against his ear. "I didn't mean it. I still love you."

Tears welled in Sanji's eyes.

"I don't know if you can forgive me," Zoro started again, but Sanji didn't let him finish. Instead he turned in Zoro's arms and wrapped his own around the marimo's neck.

Zoro muttered something against his hair, but Sanji didn't hear it, lost in the feel of Zoro's arms tightening around him, lost in the sound of Zoro's heart beat, and lost in the feeling of being whole once more.


	13. Chapter 13

_I had a strange nightmare, so I turned it into a fic. (Thank you **Ventusio** for the heads up about that weird glitch, should be okay now!)_

_739 words  
>Rated T<em>

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><p>Zoro moved slowly through the night time streets. He had to keep his headlights off, they were too obvious moving through this inky black of the city, but it made for slower navigation down the pitch dark roads.<p>

The buildings towered above him on both sides like ominous beasts, hidden in the shadows of the night but visible against the back drop of stars in the sky. He knew this street and every one of those buildings by heart, but in the darkness they were transformed into things unfamiliar and sinister.

He pulled up at the corner, stopping at the intersection the way he would if the traffic lights were operating and he was not the only car on the road. The traffic lights were off now, and the distance was an endless stretch of dark road and looming buildings, all dark.

But there was one light on here. A shop on the corner where Zoro sat in his car, the owner had apparently forgotten to turn off their sign. Zoro wondered what sort of trouble that slip of mind might mean for whoever that owner was.

The sign lit the road with a dim, red glow, causing weak shadows to stretch into the road. In the muted lighting, Zoro could see something white sliding across the road. A flyer, he'd guess, one of the many that were hung around town proclaiming new laws and listing criminals that had broken them.

Tomorrow the owner of this store would probably be among them.

Zoro turned right and headed down the road, moving even slower now as trees coupled with the buildings to block out the rest of the night sky. He was close to home now, and he knew the rest of this trip by heart, even the darkness couldn't take his path from him now.

Silently he pulled into the parking lot, coasted into his spot and killed the engine. When he was inside his building, he carefully closed the door behind him. The last thing he needed was for his neighbors to report someone awake and about.

He made it up the stairs and into his apartment quickly but quietly. His apartment was a single room, just enough for a bed, a dresser, and a desk to fit. Meal times and bathing times were set according to schedule, so there was no need for anything more.

On top of this, he had a roommate.

"There you are," Sanji greeted, looking mostly disinterested as he pulled on his night shirt.

"It's so dark out there," Zoro commented.

"Of course it is," Sanji snorted. "It's seven at night, way past curfew already."

Zoro's constant frown deepened. "Do you remember what it used to be like? That Taco Bell was open till three in the morning! It's strange seeing it so dark so early."

"That was before," Sanji shrugged, sitting on the bed. Unfortunately they had to share, although Zoro had had worse roommates before.

They were gone now.

"Did you find anything?" The blond continued. Despite his boredom act, Zoro could see interest sparking in his blue eyes.

"No word on your old man," Zoro regretfully informed him. "But I did find these."

He reached into his pack, tossing a pack of cigarettes and a lighter towards the blonde. Sanji accepted them with glee, gratefully pulling one out and immediately lighting it, releasing the cloud of smoke in a satisfied sigh.

Zoro pulled out a bottle of rum for himself and joined the blond on the bed.

"They're probably dead," Sanji speculated after a length of silence. "My old man never knew when to keep his mouth shut, and if your sister is as wild as you say she is, she's probably the same."

"Maybe," Zoro half shrugged. He hated to admit that the blond was right, and even more so when it was about things like this, but he did have a point. Zoro sloshed the fluid in his bottle around a bit before tipping it towards his roommate. "At this rate though, we might not be far behind them."

Sanji pulled the cigarette from his lips and looked at it thoughtfully, a wry smile on his face.

"Yeah, probably," he replied before tapping his cigarette against the bottle in Zoro's hand. "Cheers."


	14. Chapter 14

_The next few of these are from a prompt challenge on tumblr where users send in a star and a pairing and I generated a random AU from the list. _

_**Usernamesrus**_ _asked for DoffyxSanji and I generated a New Neighbors!AU_

_1,117 words  
>Rated T<em>

* * *

><p>The guy next door was… strange. That was putting it mildly really. If he was being honest, the new guy next door freaked Sanji out. He wasn't sure exactly why, the guy hadn't really done anything to Sanji. He'd only moved in a couple of days ago, but so far things had been quiet. Suspiciously so, actually. Sanji's last neighbor was always on the move, and though he hadn't been intentionally loud, the walls here with thin and Sanji could hear almost every move he made. From this new neighbor, however… nothing.<p>

Maybe it was the way the guy walked. He was unusually tall; he would have easily towered over Sanji, who was of average height. However, the man walked hunched over and bow legged, as if he were trying to appear shorter but take up more space width wise. Or maybe it was his tacky clothing. Pattered pants and a shirt that hung open far too wide, topped off with a hideous jacket made of pink feathers made for an awful combination.

Maybe it was something about the man's eyes, though they were hidden behind rose-colored shades. Even if he couldn't see them, the few times Sanji had seen and spoken to the man, he swore he could feel them on him, looking him over from head to toe, violating him with their stare. They were hungry, predatory.

Sanji decided his best course of action would be to avoid the man entirely. He didn't think he would have a problem doing that.

* * *

><p>Sanji's resolve to avoid his new neighbor was undone by his neighbor's continual visits. Over the course of one week, the man had to have been over to Sanji's place at least twice a day each day. Every time, he made some request to borrow something; the blender, a frying pan, some type of cleaning solution. He even came over and asked for a goddamned cup of sugar!<p>

Each time he came, he had the same excuse: He was still unpacking, and things were chaotic, so couldn't Sanji help his neighbor out? Sanji wasn't a complete jerk, he'd remembered what a mess he'd had when he first moved in. He'd called on his neighbor for help once or twice as well, though never to this extent. He tried to be patient and help his new neighbor, no matter how creepy the man was.

On Sunday of last week, his new neighbor, Doflamingo, had borrowed a set of cooking knives from Sanji. Sanji's cooking knives were very important to him, custom made just for him and his most trusted set, but Doflamingo promised he'd return the knives first thing the next morning.

That had been a week ago. Sanji wanted his knives back.

He decided the only way he could get his things back from his neighbor would be to go over and ask for them. Despite his aversion to the disturbing man and his unwillingness to speak with him, Sanji mustered up his wits and headed next door to reclaim his property.

"Come in," the voice on the other side of the door replied pleasantly to Sanji's knock.

Sanji hesitated a moment. He was hoping they could deal with this at the front door, and quickly. Entering the man's apartment felt… dangerous. Sanji assured himself he was being silly, his new neighbor had only ever been polite so far, if you excused his not returning Sanji's things immediately, and Sanji really did need those knives back. With that in mind, he pushed open the door.

The apartment was not as Sanji expected. Given that the man was borrowing Sanji's things while he was unpacking his own, Sanji expected to find the place a mess of boxes and misplaced furniture. Instead, he entered into an ornately designed room, lavishly decorated and fit for a king. Even the walls had been painted, though Sanji was pretty sure that went against the rental agreement.

"You've finally come," Doflamingo's voice rang out clear from a large, comfortable looking arm chair in the living room. The apartment was such an array of colors and textures that Sanji almost hadn't seen him sitting there.

"Uh, yeah," Sanji replied, thinking that was an odd way to be greeted. "I hoping I could get some of my stuff back now," he tried to sound as confident as possible, but those eyes were on him again. He could feel the heavy gaze looking him over and it made him uneasy. "Since you're all moved in."

"I was waiting for you to come over to get it," Doflamingo said. "I thought it would be the easiest way to lure you over."

Sanji frowned. "What?"

Doflamingo was surprisingly fast for someone who walked with such poor posture. Before Sanji could make much sense of what was happening, Doflamingo was out of his chair and much closer than Sanji was comfortable with, circling him like a shark and keeping that disturbing gaze.

"You're quite an attractive man," Doflamingo commented. "I was hoping to be able to speak to you in a more private setting."

Sanji swallowed thickly at the words. A nauseous feeling of discomfort was welling in his stomach.

"But it took you much longer than I expected…" Doflamingo chuckled, a hissing _fufufu_ sound.

This had been a trap. Sanji wasn't entirely sure what Doflamingo's plans for him were, but he wasn't sure he wanted to know either. No matter what, he doubted they were anything good. All the polite requests for help from Doflamingo had been lies, he'd never needed anything from Sanji. He'd been lying to lure Sanji in, and Sanji had followed right along with the act like a puppet on strings.

"Now then," Doflamingo started, and Sanji felt a single finger run the length of his spine, from his waist to the base of his neck where it brushed gently against the skin and caused Sanji to tense. His tension only lasted a moment. Screw the knives. Sanji could always custom order a new set. He didn't need them back that badly.

Before Doflamingo could finish his sentence, Sanji was out the door, down the short expanse of hallway that separated their apartments entrances, and into his own apartment once more. He quickly slammed the deadbolt home and secured the chain latch, just in case.

He felt sick, violated. Whatever words hung in that unfinished sentence, Sanji never wanted to find out. Whoever Doflamingo was, he was no one Sanji wanted to know. Sanji was moving, as soon as possible. He'd stay in a hotel for the time being if he had to. Anything, but he was not going to stay here anymore. Not with that new neighbor next door.


	15. Chapter 15

_**Nauticaas** asked for Zoro and I generated a Childhood!AU._

_317 words  
>Rated K+<em>

There has always been a stain on the wood of those steps. Zoro wonders why Koshiro never replaced them. Sure, it was a mostly unused storehouse that people only had to visit maybe once a month at most, but... he can still see that stain; faded a muddy brown in the wood.

It helps motivate him, he supposes. When he passes by on the path to the dojo, if he happens to look to the right and he sees it... well, he usually doubles his training that day. It reminds him of her; not as a body under a pure white sheet, but as she used to be, his rival. His greatest opponent. His goal.

When he happens to remember her, he knows he can't slack off on training. His sore muscles are no excuse. If he's tired, he can nap later. He needs just a few more reps, to practice that set a few more times, to challenge just one more opponent. He always wanted to be great, but now it wasn't just for him. It was for her too, the one he could never beat. If he could be the best, she would forever be better. He would make her the best in the world.

They're walking to the dojo together when Koshiro stops, his head turned, gaze cast off to the right. Zoro knows where he's looking, and looks there too. He wonders how often Koshiro looks that way. Zoro avoids looking when he can. Maybe Koshiro looks every day.

"Maybe we should replace those steps," Koshiro says thoughtfully.

Even from here Zoro can see the dark stain on the steps. He instantly feels the need to work harder, to be better.

"No," Zoro says. "I think those are fine."

Koshiro looks mildly surprised by his words, but smiles nonetheless. "Then I suppose there is no need. Now, shall we go practice our stances?"


	16. Chapter 16

_**Sunshinesthroughtheclouds **__asked for zosan and I generated a God and Counterpart From Another Pantheon!AU_

_1,219 words  
>Rated T<em>

* * *

><p>Sanji wallowed in the attention his shrine maidens bestowed on him. Lovely ladies sent to him from all the surrounding villages, each one was a rare flower in his oasis. They tended to his beautiful but modest temple, and made sure that he was draped in the luxurious offerings from the villagers around this island. He was the god of the sea in this place, managing the tides and keeping the storms at bay, and all he asked for in return was a handful of these lovely maidens to tend to him, and enough food to get him by. The rest was offered to him from the village, and though it was more than he'd asked for, he felt bad turning them down.<p>

This was a small island with a prosperous trade in fishing. Or at least, it was prosperous as long as he was kept happy. Stable weather and regular tides made the fish plentiful, but Sanji also had the power to put an end to all of that in the blink of an eye. His ruling and judgment were rarely questioned, and he and his worshipers lived in peace together.

Until recently.

"I have to tell you, oh great and powerful god of the sea," the long-nosed man bowed deeply. He was a small, fearful man who usually shook at the knees in Sanji's presence, but he was a faithful follower and came again and again to relay news to Sanji from the surrounding villages. "Lately a great many of your followers have been… converting."

Sanji's spine snapped rigid and he turned eyes colder than the sea on the man. The man, Usopp was his name, cowered under the gaze.

"Converting?" Sanji repeated, his voice low and tight.

"Yes, oh magnificent one. It seems the water god on the next island over has offered protection from your wrath if they will follow him instead," Usopp informed him.

"I've been nothing but kind to these people!" Sanji roared in indignation.

"W-well, most gracious god, there have been the storms…"

Yes, there had been. Two weeks ago, one of the men in the nearest village attacked one of his precious shrine maidens. She came to him, weeping and begging for his forgiveness, and Sanji was instantly filled with rage. He demanded the man who committed the crime step forward, and when none did he turned his wrath into the violent storms that had made both trade and fishing impossible for the people.

He wasn't entirely cruel, however, being the merciful god that he was, he gave the fisherman a brief reprieve from the storms for long enough to be able to feed the people of the village. He might have wanted to punish the wrong doer, but starving the entire village didn't sit well with him. Still, it seemed his kindness went unnoticed if they people were turning against them.

"Who is this god they're turning too?" Sanji snapped.

"I have no idea, ruler of the sea, I have never paid much attention to the preachings of his new followers. I only know that he takes up residence on the island to the east…"

A wave of water splashed over Usopp, soaking him head to toe, but mysteriously missed the maidens around him entirely. Usopp coughed and sputtered and wiped the stinging sea water from his eyes, but by the time he had cleared them, Sanji was already gone.

* * *

><p>The island to the east was marshy and wet. The sea freely flowed over the land in rivers and pools and the earth was soft mud. The air itself hung think with moisture and was stifling. Everything was a tinged shade of green from the algae and mosses that covered nearly every surface. There were few inhabitants here; those that did try to make their home in this moist environment built homes in the trees, safe from the wet earth, and were almost primal in nature. They were a far cry from the civilized people of Sanji's home island, and he almost didn't blame this trespassing god for encroaching on his territory.<p>

"Show yourself!" He demanded, his voice reverberating in the moist, thick air. A swell of dark clouds began to swirl above him, a sure sign of his flaring temper. Behind him, the people of this island shrunk into their homes, sensing the danger this stranger posed.

"There's no need to shout."

The man had been leaning against a tree not five feet from Sanji's right, and Sanji was shocked he hadn't noticed him sooner. When he emerged from under the hanging leaves of the tree, however, it was apparent as to why Sanji had missed him. His hair was the exact shade of green that covered everything around them, as if the moss had made a permanent residence in his hair as well.

The man yawned widely, having apparently just woken up. "Is there something I can do for you, shit-sea god?"

Sanji glared at the irritating clump of green. He didn't look like much, just a lazy good for nothing that called himself god, but Sanji had long ago learned not to judge an opponent by their appearance.

"Quit trying to take over my territory, shitty moss god," Sanji snapped back to him. Even for a god, this guy's manners were terrible.

"Zoro," the moss head corrected. "And they wouldn't be praying to me if you didn't torture them," Zoro smirked. He was being purposefully antagonistic and it was working. Sanji was getting more and more pissed off by minute.

Sanji made a scoffing noise. "I'm good to those people, even now when they've angered me I make sure they can eat. There is a wrong doer that must be punished, I will not allow him to slide by without atoning for his sins."

Zoro looked mildly amused by the statement. "You know your storms are bad for my island as well. You're causing floods and my worshipers here are afraid."

Sanji sent a skeptical look at the wet muck beneath their feet. Somehow, he doubted this was a recent problem.

"I guess there is one solution though," Zoro shrugged.

"What's that?" Sanji asked, curious to see what the man would say. Perhaps he wasn't entirely unreasonable, and they could be peaceful neighbors.

"You could always become my bride."

Sanji sputtered, swore, and kicked up water and muck into the mossy god's face. Zoro retaliated by manipulating the water in the plants and bending him to his will, and before Sanji knew it they had torn half the island apart with their fighting (fortunately, they had the presence of mind to avoid damaging the people's homes and properties). At the end of their battle, both stood, winded and worn, but neither was any worse for the wear than the other.

"Not bad," Zoro panted, wiping a stray track of dirt from his brow. "You'll make a good wife."

"Fuck off," Sanji spat, throwing one last blast of water at the moss head before fleeing back to his own island.

That swamp god was unreasonable, monstrous, uncivilized. There was no way Sanji would ever marry him, never mind that he was a _man_. That was just preposterous.

And he would deny to the moon that he was blushing about it.


	17. Chapter 17

_**Anon **asked for LawSan and I generated a Runway Royalty!AU_

_1,222 words  
>Rated T<em>

* * *

><p>He found the guy collapsed in his door step, looking half-starved and a worse for the wear. He'd obviously been on the road for a while, and he didn't look well. Sanji sighed. It wasn't the first time he'd had a homeless man take up shelter on his porch; he owned the only restaurant for miles and he had a reputation for feeding even those that couldn't pay.<p>

Poverty was a big problem in this country. While the royals ate like, well, kings, the civilians of the country ate hardly anything at all. Sanji was fortunate that his business did fairly well; not well enough to make him live like a royal, but well enough that he could get by comfortably. He hated to see people starve though, and whenever they came around to his place he gave them a meal to get them by.

A homeless man sleeping on his front porch was bad for business though. He gently nudged the sleeping form with his foot.

"Oi, rise and shine. If you want a hot meal you better get your ass off my front porch and head around to the back door," Sanji said.

The form at his feet groaned and rolled over. He was surprisingly young; maybe a few years older than Sanji but a great deal younger than the usual vagabonds Sanji found lying around his establishment. The young man blinked up at him with a dazed expression. He looked bad, with dark circles under his eyes, and a myriad of cuts and bruises adorning his face and torso.

Sanji sighed again and lit his morning cigarette. "Okay you," he said to the guy, bending down and bracing the man's arm around his shoulders. "Let's get you cleaned up."

* * *

><p>The guy's name was Law and he was shady and secretive and never told Sanji about his past. Or rather, that he never told Sanji the truth about his past. What he did tell Sanji was that he was a wandering merchant down on his luck that had run into a group of bandits. He told a convincing lie, but Sanji had spent enough time around criminals to know better. Whatever reason this guy had for lying about his past, however, Sanji decided to leave it alone.<p>

For now, his priority was to nurse Law back to health and see him on his way. Except even when Law was doing much better, he seemed reluctant to leave. Sanji couldn't see the appeal of staying in this rough and ready restaurant but he didn't argue. Instead he put Law to work, giving him chores and tasks to keep him busy and earn his keep.

The truth about Law's identity would reach him much later. Almost two months after Law had come to stay, Sanji collected the morning newspaper from the delivery boy and folded it open to skim over the front page. By that point, Law had been a nice addition to Sanji's staff, and he was grateful to have someone closer to his age around. Most of his staff were older, and Sanji was the youngest among them. They were good people and he loved them like family, but the addition of someone newer and younger made a world of difference to Sanji.

Law wasn't exactly the most social person, and he was the pickiest eater Sanji had ever encountered (what kind of person wouldn't eat bread?), but he was surprisingly educated and could hold a good conversation. Sanji and Law had made a habit of staying up a couple of hours every night to talk, and Sanji found he really enjoyed the company.

When Sanji read the paper that morning, he almost didn't believe his eyes. There was no way what he was seeing could be real. Upon skimming the article, however, he uncovered the whole story and realized the truth. He stared at the image beneath the article for a long moment before folding the paper once more and lighting his morning cigarette. Whatever was happening here, he would find out later. There was work to be done first.

* * *

><p>When it was just Sanji and Law that evening, as it had been every night since Law came, Sanji pulled the paper from his breast pocket and let it drop on to the table in front of Law. He noted that the man looked one part guilty and one part ashamed, but he hid it quite well under a mask of indifference. Too bad Sanji knew better.<p>

"Care to explain?" He asked, taking up his usual seat and lighting up a cigarette.

The headline of the paper read _**Royal Prince Missing, Foul Play Suspected**_, and was accompanied with a picture of Law himself below the article. The article described the events of Prince Law's disappearance, and explained what would happen to their country if the dear prince wasn't found.

"Do I have to explain anything?" Law asked coolly.

"No, it seems pretty obvious. I'm just wondering why you haven't gone back," Sanji shrugged. On the surface he was playing it cool, but beneath that he could feel the sinking feeling of loss. Law would probably leave soon, back to some place Sanji could never reach.

Law scowled at the paper for a moment before letting out a sigh. "Because I hate them," he said. "My father, the king, is a tyrant. He cares for nothing but power. Even his own son is expendable. He's the one that drove me away. I wanted to change his politics and fix this broken country, and he couldn't have that."

Law looked angry, and for good reason. Sanji knew the state of their country first hand, it was in a horrible state. To know there was someone with the power to fix it though…

"I know some people who might be able to help you," Sanji said. "To overthrow your father and take control of your kingdom," he stood, intent on making his call, but stopped. "That is, unless you're too afraid to try."

Law's tattooed hand reached out to take Sanji's. The tattoos, Sanji now realized, were part of the royal insignia. He'd been blind not to notice it before, but then maybe he hadn't been looking. Maybe he didn't want to see.

Law pulled Sanji's hand closer to him, placing a kiss on each of Sanji's fingers, and finally on the back of his hand. Sanji watched him with interest, his cigarette burning forgotten for the moment in his other hand.

Finally, Law looked back up, grey eyes fixed heavily on Sanji. "Would it make you happy?"

Sanji had to put off that call to his friends. The country would be okay for another couple of hours, right?

* * *

><p>If someone had told Sanji that in just a few weeks' time he'd be dining in the royal palace he wouldn't have believed them. But here he sat, across from Law like he had most every night for two months, sampling the food from the royal kitchen.<p>

"Disgusting," Sanji commented, cringing at the bite he took. He continued to eat it though, since he had a policy of no food being wasted.

"I thought so too," Law chuckled. "Maybe I'll have to get my own personal chef."

Sanji smirked. "Maybe you already have one."

And they lived happily ever after.


	18. Chapter 18

_**Anon **asked for Luffy/Nami or Usopp/Nami. I chose Luffy/Nami, and I generated a Brand New Step-sibling!AU._

_804 words  
>Rated: K<em>

* * *

><p>When Nami's mother announced she was getting married, Nami pitched a fit that would have shamed a hurricane. It wasn't that she didn't want her mother to get remarried (although experience with her mother's past boyfriends had taught her that might not be such a good thing either), but it was the news that the man she was planning to marry had a son. Soon Nami would have another sibling and she was anything but happy about that.<p>

Things were bad enough with just her and Nojiko. She loved her sister to death, but, like teenage girls will do, they fought like mortal enemies sometimes. Not to mention due to their less than awesome financial situation, Nami was usually forced to cope with her older sister's hand-me-downs, be them clothing, gadgets, and even the car. Having yet another sibling - a _boy _of all things - could hardly help that situation.

That was why Nami had thrown the fit of the century before locking herself in her room and refusing to come down to even meet the new additions to her family.

The knock at her door an hour later roused her from her bitter thoughts. She had half a mind to tell whoever it was to go away, but figured she'd been hiding long enough she could at least face whoever it was. Maybe her mother had decided to cancel her engagement. Nami snorted at herself. That was ridiculous and she didn't truly want that anyway.

On the other side of the door a rough looking boy about her age stood. When she opened the door, he beamed at her with the widest smile she'd ever seen.

"Hi! I'm Luffy, we're gonna be siblings from now on!" He announced, and then, without waiting for her response, pushed the door open further and invited himself into her room.

"Hey!" She protested, following behind him. He ignored her, looking around her room with some interest before marching over to her desk and peering down at her collection of maps.

Some of the maps came from books and atlases and many were maps she'd drawn herself. Maps of her hometown, or her backyard, nowhere fantastic or special but one day she'd be able to map out the world once she saw each and every corner of it firsthand. That was her dream.

Luffy picked up a particularly old map from the stack. It was something Nami had found hidden away in an old book store and spent all of the allowance she had saved on. It was outdated and inaccurate compared to the modern maps they had now, but that was what she found most fascinating about it.

"Don't touch that!" She cried, smacking his hand away from it.

"Why not?" Luffy asked curiously. Then a kind of understanding seemed to dawn on him. "Ohh, is that your treasure?"

Nami stared at the boy, surprised by this bit of insight. "Yeah, it is," she said.

Luffy laughed, a genuine laugh that was almost contagious. "Oh! I see!" He stepped away from the maps beaming at Nami for a moment before his smile fell. "Your mom said you didn't want to have a new family," he stated.

A scowl returned to Nami's face. "That's right, I don't," she said, her words slightly biting.

"Why not?" Luffy asked. His head tipped slightly to the side in confusion. "Won't it be fun to have more people around to spend time with? My dad's a really cool guy, and we can help protect your treasures too."

He pointed to the maps. Nami looked at them too. It wasn't as if they were something special and sacred that anyone would come after. In fact she was willing to bet if her house were to get robbed right now, the burglar would pass right by them without sparing them a glance. But the sentiment behind his words was… nice. It meant he understood the value her maps had, even if it was just to her.

"You see this?" Luffy pulled a straw hat from his back. Nami had noticed it hanging from his neck, but hadn't thought to comment on it yet. It seemed like an odd accessory for a teenage boy to have.

"This is my treasure. A very important person gave it to me, and some day, I have to give it back," he explained.

He took the hat from his neck and placed it onto Nami's head. She gaped at him, a little surprised. If this hat was so precious to him, why would he put it on her?

"We're a family now, so you're gonna keep my treasure safe too!" He said with an excited smile.

Nami gingerly touched the brim of the old straw hat. Maybe having a brother like Luffy wouldn't be so bad after all.


	19. Chapter 19

**_Myladyday _**_asked for Thatch/Izo and I generated a Werewolf!AU_

_403 words  
>Rated M<em>

* * *

><p>"No," Izo whispered in disgust. "No, no."<p>

He was cowered against corner of the room, gun in his hand and ready. This is not how this was supposed to happen. It was supposed to be a quiet night in with his lover. The medication was supposed to have worked, the change hadn't happened in the last several full moons. The gun was just supposed to be insurance.

It would have been the first full moon he and Thatch had spent together ever. Usually, for the three days (before, during, and after) the full moon, Izo and Thatch were separate. Both of them locked themselves away into safe and impenetrable places, because as dangerous as a werewolf might have been, he was even more dangerous to his lover.

But there was a cure now, and Thatch had insisted after so many unchanged moons that Izo come over and spend the full moon with him. Together, and free.

Izo had been hesitant, but agreed nonetheless. Still, he insisted on the gun, just to be safe. Just in case. He'd pull the trigger and stop the madness before anything bad could happen.

But here he was, staring across the room at that… thing. It was his worst nightmare come to life. The first rays of dawn peeked through the crack in their curtains, illuminating his horror.

"Thatch?" Izo called, his voice weak with fear and duress. No reply.

"Thatch?" Izo tried again, pushing away from the wall, taking a tentative step forward. "Can you hear me?"

There was blood everywhere, and for one ridiculous second Izo cursed that he'd have to get new curtains. Then his mind reminded him of exactly who's blood that was and his terror returned in full force.

"Thatch?"

Usually styled hair was disheveled and messy like Izo had never seen, torn in clumps at some spots. Blood pooled around his head like a halo. Glassy, terrified eyes stared toward the ceiling, seeing nothing more than their last moments.

"I'm so sorry," Izo muttered, wiping at the blood that had dried around his mouth. A sob threatened to escape him. "I was supposed to use the gun before it was too late."

He looked almost accusingly down at the body below him. "You should have pulled the trigger," he said. "You should have shot me the moment I turned."

Thatch's stare never wavered from the ceiling. Izo's worst nightmare had come true.


	20. Chapter 20

**_Anon_**_ asked for zosan and I generated a Camp Counselor!AU_

_305 words  
>Rated K+<em>

* * *

><p>The self-defense training camp was a two week event where kids from various gyms and dojos came to learn about and practice in a variety of martial arts.<p>

Sanji was responsible for teaching the kids about savate, his specialty, and the kind of martial art that wasn't usually practiced very commonly around these parts. He liked his job, he enjoyed teaching the kids about the form of fighting he was so passionate about. His father had taught him when he was a child, and now he could share that skill with these kids.

"Now see, kids? If you're not willing to throw your weight into your movements, an opponent like that actually might pose a threat," a voice called out from the back.

Sanji looked up from the young lady he was helping and shot a glare at the man in the back. Zoro, the judo and kendo instructor in the camp, was giving him the cockiest grin imaginable from the back where his class had gathered.

"If you throw your weight into it though," Zoro continued, his eyes never leaving Sanji's. "He's easy to take down."

This guy had been terrorizing Sanji from the moment the camp started, talking down savate even in front of Sanji's students and claiming his fighting styles were better. Now he had the balls to assume he could take down Sanji in a one-on-one fight? Sanji would see about that.

"Kids, I want you to line up against the back wall," he announced to his current class of students. "I'm going to give you a live demonstration of savate in action," he said, loosening his tie and looking at Zoro pointedly.

"Oh?" Zoro asked, the devilish, over-confident, shit-eating smirk still on his face. "We'll see about that, curly-brow."

Sanji didn't wait for Zoro to ready himself before he attacked.


	21. Chapter 21

_**Roroxp17 **asked for sanzo and I generated a High School!AU. I also like to call this **SanZo: The Shoujo**._

_1,022 words  
>Rated T<em>

* * *

><p>The new student was all long legs, blond hair, and bad attitude. He sat right next to Zoro from the very beginning and introduced himself by pointing out how stupid Zoro's hair looked. It wasn't the first time Zoro had heard those kinds of comments, his hair <em>was <em>really weird looking. He was prepared to brush off the comments like they were nothing until that idiot new student turned to Nami and began wriggling in his seat like a love struck idiot.

Whatever, the guy had stupid eyebrows anyway.

Zoro spat blood. His head hurt and that only served to piss him off more as he turned to face the crowd of cowards that had decided to take him on. He supposed they were underclassmen, or maybe they thought the wooden bats they had brought would keep them safe. Or maybe there were still students in this school that hadn't heard of Zoro's reputation yet. Either way, they were stupid.

"Roronoa Zoro," the boy in the middle of the crowd spoke up. "My girlfriend broke up with me recently because she says she has a crush on you."

"Mine too!" Intoned another of the boys from the crowd.

"I got rejected for the kendo team because of you!" Said a third.

They all pitched in their sob stories after that. Each on more pathetic than the last. They were blaming their own weaknesses on Zoro. Pathetic.

His head spun a little, and he was definitely unsteady on his feet. He supposed a baseball bat to the face would do that to you, but he needed to get with it here if he was going to stand a chance against this lot.

The crowd parted suddenly. Or rather, it seemed to collapse down the middle as bodies were knocked aside with ease. The new guy, Sanji, emerged from this mess, hands in his pockets and a cigarette hanging from his lips (did he even realize he was in school?) and looking as cool as ice. Or so he appeared, but Zoro could have sworn he saw fire in those blue eyes.

The crowd dispersed rather quickly after that. Maybe they thought they could take on Zoro alone, but Zoro and Sanji combined would have been too much for anyone. When they were gone, Sanji turned back to Zoro with a smirk.

"Having a hard time making friend, Marimo?"

"Shut up," Zoro spat. "I didn't ask for your help."

"I didn't help you," Sanji shrugged. "I just wanted a quiet place to smoke."

Zoro gave him a disbelieving look, but didn't argue. He also didn't argue when Sanji led him to the nurse's office, and accepted the help bandaging his face.

Maybe the eyebrow guy wasn't so bad.

"You're failing math," Sanji commented, peaking over at Zoro's test.

Zoro quickly hid his score, too late, and set his face in angry scowl. "That's why I'm here. You're supposed to be helping me."

Zoro only accepted Sanji's offer to tutor him because if he didn't raise his scores on the next test he would lose his spot on the kendo team. That, and Sanji seemed to have a fairly good head on his shoulders. He couldn't have asked Luffy for help on this because Luffy was worse off and could care less, and Nami would have charged him an arm and a leg. Sanji was the only other candidate, really, and since he was a willing tutor Zoro had to take him up on the offer.

"You just have to memorize these formulas," Sanji told him. "Once you have them down, everything else falls into place."

Which is exactly what their teacher had said, but that didn't really help Zoro much in the first place. Still, he didn't say anything, and copied down the formulas in question.

"Let's try some of the practice questions," Sanji turned the page when Zoro was through. "Try number five."

Zoro copied the problem down onto a fresh sheet of paper and then stared at it cluelessly.

"Really, Marimo?" Sanji said, sounding exasperated.

He then launched into a detailed and informative explanation of the process, from how to choose the right formula to how to solve it and the way to interpret the answers. It was easy, when Sanji explained it, and Zoro wondered if his previous methods had simply been to gauge how stupid Zoro was. He wouldn't put it past the blond, the guy really liked to rile him up.

"There," Sanji smiled. "Now try number twelve on your own."

Zoro did, and found the whole process to be much easier when he knew what he was doing. Sanji sat next to him and watched, occasionally taking drags of his cigarette.

When Zoro was finished, he slid the notebook to Sanji. "How did I do?" He asked.

Sanji looked over the answer for only the briefest moment before reaching out and tangling his fingers in Zoro's green hair. The tug against his scalp hurt for only a moment before warm lips pressed against his and everything else was banished from Zoro's mind.

He knew what this was instantly, because his body was traitorous and even though he and Sanji only barely got along at the best of times, the blond was undeniably attractive. If Sanji ended up in his daydreams more than a couple of times, it wasn't surprising. Still, although Zoro's mind instantly recognized the motion, his body was slow to catch up.

Thankfully, Sanji was patient, and waited until Zoro could reciprocate. After a few moments, he broke away again, watching Zoro with deep blue eyes. Zoro wanted more, of course, but was stopped by a hand to his chest.

"No, no, Marimo," Sanji chuckled. "You only get your reward if you earn it," he tapped lightly on the notebook, indicating what he meant. "Maybe if you answer another one right, I'll let you have a little more."

Those eyes sparkled with amusement, but also shined with excitement and promise, and Zoro doesn't waste a moment in picking up his pencil and getting to work.

Maybe, just maybe, he liked his guy a lot.


	22. Chapter 22

_**romey20 on** **tumblr:**__If you're still taking prompts, can you do some ASL fluff? I think I'm gonna need some before this coming Sunday!_

_(I failed so bad and this is more than a month late but I hope you can forgive me.)_

_1,366 words  
>Rated K<em>

* * *

><p>Luffy falls hard, his leg scraping against the root of a tree as he goes down. He tries so hard not to cry. Ace has rules about crying, and if Luffy starts to cry, Ace will send him home. Sabo is a little nicer; he'll spend about one minute being sympathetic about it. But when that minute is up, Sabo will leave the rest up to Ace.<p>

"Are you okay, Luffy?" Sabo asks, kneeling to get a better look at the damage. Raw skin is torn open in a jagged patter and blood is oozing sluggishly down Luffy's leg.

"Yeah," Luffy sniffs. He isn't crying, but his eyes are watering and his nose is running.

"It's just a cut," Ace grumbles, folding his arms over his chest in a sign of impatience.

"We should take care of it," Sabo says. "It could get infected of something."

"It's won't get infected, now let's go!" Ace replies, exasperated.

Sabo's one minute is almost up. "Can you stand, Luffy?"

"Yeah," Luffy says again, pulling himself upright. Pain shoots through his torn leg, but he stays standing.

"Come _on_!" Ace almost yells. "Didn't you guys want to try bear meat tonight?"

At the word 'meat', Luffy almost forgets that he's in pain. He's the one that insisted bear would be good to eat, and it took a lot of convincing to get his brothers to agree. Ace only agreed after Sabo had pointed out that hunting bear was good training.

They had been on a trail when Luffy fell, and if they didn't get moving soon they would lose the bear. Luffy takes an experimental step forward. His injured leg shakes a little, but it managed to hold his weight. He takes another step, and then another. His leg is getting used to the pain, which is good because Ace has had enough of waiting around already and is on the move again.

"Let's go, Luffy!" He calls back, and Luffy hurries to catch up.

* * *

><p>The bear is at least as big as Dadan and twice as scary, but the challenge delights them all, and they have a plan.<p>

The plan is simple: Sabo and Ace will come up from behind while Luffy distracts the bear. But Luffy doesn't want to play the distraction, he wants to attack the bear too and it isn't fair only Sabo and Ace get to do the fun part. He tries to complain, but his protests are shot down by Ace before Luffy even has time to make his case. Luffy is going to play the distraction and that's final.

But Luffy still wants to fight, and just because he's the distraction, he doesn't see why he can't attack from the front. So when the bear comes, Luffy is ready for it. Yielding his pipe, he gets himself into position. If he launches himself at the bear as it runs towards him, maybe he can take it down. If he takes it down by himself, maybe Ace and Sabo will give him half the meat.

The bear spots him, and Luffy gets into position. All he has to do it jump at the right moment and swing his pipe down at the bears head. It's easy, and he knows he can do it. The bear advances on him, picking up speed as it goes. It's goal is similar to Luffy's, and it's kill or be killed. Luffy is ready.

Except that, his bad leg refuses to move. He bends at the knee, ready to launch himself upward, but his legs won't let that happen. The shaking in his leg had gotten worse. He's stuck.

He watches the bear coming at him, and he realizes he's powerless to stop it. He can hear the heavy breaths as the bear runs towards him, and he can hear the blood drip from his knee, landing with a soft _splat_ onto the leaves below. A single second seems to stretch into an eternity, and he closes his eyes, curling into himself as much as possible as he waits for the bear to strike.

"Luffy!"

It's an angry shout that usually means he's going to get a lecture later, but at the moment all he can do is peek his eyes open and watch as his two older brothers launch themselves down from the trees. They strike the bear perfectly across the head with their pipes. They land together in front of Luffy, and the three of them watch as the bear staggers and falls, sliding to a full stop just inches from their trio.

"You idiot!" Ace rounds on Luffy, fury in his eyes. "What were you doing?!"

Luffy can't help but let his tears fall. He isn't sad or in a lot of pain, and he knows crying is only going to make Ace more angry, but he can't help it, the tears come on their own.

"My leg wouldn't work!" He wails, the words coming out broken and strangled between sobs. "It stopped moving and I couldn't get away!"

"Sorry, Luffy." Sabo kneels down. He dabs at the blood sticking to Luffy's bad leg. "I'll look at it properly this time."

Ace snorts but doesn't yell at Luffy for crying and waits patiently for Sabo to clean up Luffy's knee. Luffy can see Ace peeking out of the corner of his eyes to watch.

When Sabo is finished, there is a clean strip of fabric tied around Luffy's knee. It still hurts, but he doesn't say anything more, and instead wipes the rest of his snot and tears away.

"Let's get going then." Ace picks up the top part of the bear onto his shoulders. "We don't have all day."

Sabo rushes to help Ace, picking up the bear from the middle, leaving the back legs up to Luffy to carry. Luffy can feel his legs buckle momentarily under the extra weight, but he doesn't complain and his legs start to recover before long. Together the three of them haul the massive bear back to their tree house.

"Luffy!" Ace shouts back. "Don't drag the legs! You make it harder for me and Sabo!"

"Sorry," Luffy grumbles. "Ace, I'm hungry!" He whines. He suddenly feels starved, hungrier than he's ever been in his life.

For some reason, this makes Sabo laugh, and after a moment, Ace joins in too.

"You must be okay, Luffy," Sabo says between chuckles.

Luffy assumes they are both out of their minds, and his suspicions are confirmed when Sabo speaks again.

"Come on, Luffy, let's get home and we'll make you get _a lot_ of meat!"

Ace doesn't deny Sabo's statement either, and Luffy wonders what happened to his brothers to make them act that way.

* * *

><p>When the bear is cleaned and the meat is cooked, Sabo makes good on his word and give Luffy the biggest helping of meat he's ever gotten.<p>

"I don't know what happened," Luffy says between big mouthfuls. "But I hope it happens again!"

"It better not," Ace says firmly. "Just eat your food and shut up."

Luffy does as he's told, but knows he's not going to forget today, because bear meat might be the most delicious meat he's ever tasted.

* * *

><p>"Luffy, what's that scar on your knee?" Nami asks curiously. She's leaning against the railing that Luffy is sitting on, and only by chance happens to notice the pale mark on his leg.<p>

Luffy laughs and traces the jagged white mark. "This was the day I got to eat a whole lot of meat! Ace and Sabo let me have it because the bear almost killed me!"

"A bear?" Nami asks. "What?"

"Yeah." Luffy's smile fades a little, and he turns his gaze out towards the ocean. "They saved me, but come to think of it, I bet they were really scared."

Nami is about to ask her captain what he's talking about. The small smile on his face and the soft nostalgia in his voice make her curious about his past, but before she can say anything more, Sanji calls them in for lunch. Luffy bounds away quickly, drool dripping from his lips and the previous memories all but forgotten once more.


	23. Chapter 23

_**Autumn **(guest reviewer) asked for more creepy neighbor Doffy. You're always a very nice reviewer so I am happy to grant that request :)_

_1,314 words  
>Rated T-ish?<em>

* * *

><p>Sanji curled deeper under his duvet. He swore he could hear scratching on the other side of his bedroom wall, as if the occupant of the apartment next door were trying to claw through. It was a faint but disconcerting noise and it was making Sanji uncomfortable.<p>

Ever since his run in with his neighbor, Sanji had avoided the man next door like the plague. Moving had been an unreal dream; Sanji was not exactly rolling in money and he had chosen to move into this apartment because she rent was affordable and it was close to work. Coming up with the money to pay a new security deposit and first month's rent just wasn't feasible for him financially. At least not right now. So Sanji was forced to stay in his apartment, just a few feet from the lunatic next door.

That didn't mean he hadn't taken evasive measures. He now left for work three hours earlier than was really necessary, in order to make it out of his house before the other man had the chance to wake up. Sanji also had taken to finding a way to stay out of the house late at night so that Doflamingo would long since have gone to bed before Sanji got home. It was costing him sleep, yeah, but it was worth it if he could avoid that creep.

Except that creep still found ways to bump into Sanji. Sometimes Sanji would see him out in public, stopping by the same bar or shopping in the same mall. Not to mention that there was a knock at Sanji's door at least once a day, if Sanji was home to hear it. He could feel those glasses-covered eyes on him at all times, and even in the privacy of his own bedroom, Sanji felt like the man was trying to get to him.

Maybe he was just being paranoid. His friends certainly seemed to think so.

"So you're freaking out because this guy hit on you?" Zoro had asked. Sanji had taken to inviting his best friend out for drinks whenever possible. It both kept him out of the house and gave him a companion should Doflamingo find him in public.

"I'm not freaking out because he hit on me!" Sanji explained loudly, crushing his cigarette into the provided ashtray and immediately lighting another. The amount of cigarettes he smoked in a day had nearly doubled in the last couple of weeks. "I'm freaking out because he's stalking me!"

"Uh-huh…" Zoro muttered with disinterest, ordering another drink. He didn't seem to find Sanji's problem as serious as Sanji did.

"I'm serious, Zoro!" Sanji shouted.

"I'm pretty sure you're making it up in your head, cook," Zoro scoffed. "Can you pay for my drinks? That was the deal if I went out with you, right? I need to start heading back."

Sanji's heart had sank in his chest. It wasn't nearly late enough at night for Doflamingo to have gone to bed, but Sanji wasn't sure he wanted to be cornered by the man out in public either. True terror was sinking in, like it did every time Sanji had to face the prospect of returning home.

"Sure," Sanji said, tossing a few bills out on the bar top.

"Relax, cook," Zoro said, seeming to notice his friend's drop in energy. "You're just imagining things. Besides, you really think you couldn't take this guy in a fight?"

Sanji was absolutely sure he couldn't take this guy in a fight. There was something about the man that did more than rub Sanji the wrong way; it chilled him to the bone. He didn't feel mentally collected around the guy, and with the lack of sleep he'd gotten lately he felt even less so. But there was something about Zoro's confidence in Sanji's abilities that bolstered Sanji's nerves, just a little. Zoro very rarely if ever doled out compliments, Sanji was kind of honored.

"Maybe you're right," Sanji said, standing up from his barstool. He might not agree with Zoro, but there was no sense in wasting his friend's time with it anymore for now.

"Of course I am," Zoro said. "Now let's go, cook."

Sanji had felt much better after talking to Zoro, but that conversation had been hours ago. Uncertainty and fear had begun to set in again, and the faint scratching sound in the wall was driving Sanji to the brink.

A knocking at his apartment door made Sanji's heart stop. His eyes widened in the darkness of his blanket. Terror gripped his limbs so that he couldn't have moved even if he had wanted to. He strained his ears. The scratching sound seemed to have stopped, and the apartment next door had fallen totally silent.

His neighbor was here.

Sanji burrowed himself deeper into his blankets. If he pretended he wasn't home, surely Doflamingo would get bored and go home. Sanji just had to keep quiet and wait it out.

The pounding on his door continued, getting louder with each new round of knocks. Finally, after several minutes of persistent knocking, silence settled over Sanji's apartment once more. He listened hard from beneath his blankets, trying to hear the sound of the apartment door next to his opening or closing. There was nothing but silence, several tense, long seconds of it.

Then Sanji heard the deadbolt to his apartment door slide open with a click. He froze. That wasn't possible! He'd never given his neighbor a key! He'd never even let the man inside before! How could this happen. He could hear his own door open softly, and close with a gentle bump. His home intruder was trying very hard to keep quiet.

Sanji could hear heavy footsteps muffled by the carpeting, slowly making their way step-by-step into his apartment. He could hear them coming down the hall, hear them approaching his bedroom. He knew he should get up and prepare himself for a fight. He didn't want to give in without trying to escape. He'd run to Zoro's or Usopp's, beg them to let him stay. But his limbs wouldn't move the way he wanted them too, and all he could do was curl in on himself, trying to become invisible beneath his bedding.

His bedroom door clicked open and Sanji lay paralyzed. He could hear the intruder breathing, deep, even breaths. Time seemed to freeze, with nothing but the intruder's breath to mark the passing moments. Finally, the person moved, drawing closer to the bed. One step. Two steps. Three steps. He was right there now, just a few inches away…

The blanket was ripped from Sanji's grip with ease, allowing the towering figure to peer in at him.

"Move over, cook."

"Zoro?" Sanji's frozen heart started beating again, twice as hard and fast as before, but this time with elation, not fear. "How did you get in here?"

"Used my spare key. Now, make some room. I'm not about to sleep on your shitty couch."

"What are you doing here?" Sanji asked, hastening to slide over and make space for his friend.

Zoro slid under the blankets next to Sanji. "You sounded pretty freaked out about this neighbor of yours. It's really not like you to be afraid of anything, so I got a little worried." He snickered. "And look at you, hiding under your blankets like a little kid. You think the big bad flamingo isn't going to get you under here?" he asked mockingly.

"Shut up!" Sanji growled. "I wasn't hiding, I was just cold!"

Zoro snorted. "Yeah, well, with two of us here now I'm sure you'll be warm in no time. Get some sleep, cook."

Sanji didn't need telling twice. With Zoro here, he felt a thousand times more at ease than he had in weeks. He fell asleep almost instantly, and stayed that way until it was time for work.


	24. Chapter 24

_**blacktaiyou said: **Okay I'll try to find yomething you'd like: UsoNa - falling in love with a painting/statue you made_

_Rated K  
>1,143 words<em>

* * *

><p>Silky red hair that fell in waves; full, pink lips; eyes the color of the finest mahogany wood. These were the fine details that Usopp had poured so much of his time into. Days, weeks, he wasn't even sure how long the painting had taken him to complete, but he knew from the moment he applied the last brush stroke that it was the most beautiful work of art he had ever created.<p>

_She _was the most beautiful work of art he'd ever created.

"Whoa, Usopp," Sanji commented, having stumbled across her completed visage. He sounded breathless, enamored the way he always was when he came across a beautiful woman. "She's perfect."

"Nami," Usopp said. "That's what I'm naming her."

"Nami-swan," Sanji cooed to the canvas. "She's going to do well in Robin's exhibition. I bet she raises lots of money."

Usopp's heart sank. That was right; Usopp had painted her to contribute to Robin's fundraising exhibition. She had asked him specifically to come up with something beautiful for her. By this time tomorrow, Nami would be packed up and shipped home with some art collector, someone who would hang her among a mess of other paintings and forget about her. They would never appreciate her beauty the way she deserved. She would be just another piece to them, when she deserved to be revered.

"Usopp?" Sanji called him back from his thoughts.

"Right, Robin's exhibition." Usopp cleared his throat, hoping to hide his train of thought.

"Aren't you excited? She's a masterpiece!" Sanji said, gesturing to the painting with much gusto.

"Yeah." Usopp swallowed. "She is."

* * *

><p>That night he sat across from her, staring into her shining eyes. Her rosy cheeks smattered with the faintest of freckles seemed to glow even in the dim light. He allowed himself to feel a little proud of what he had done. She was his greatest achievement to date, and he wasn't sure he would ever be able to surpass her.<p>

She looked so vivid, so alive. He could almost hear her voice.

_So you're going to sell me, huh? I better end up with someone rich. _She was snarky, confident.

Then, softer, and honest the way she could only be with him: _I really don't want to go._

"I don't want you to go either,"he murmured, resting his chin in his hand and leaning so that his knee supported his elbow. "But I promised Robin."

He sighed, standing up from his chair. It wouldn't do him any good to mope here. The longer he stared at her, the more he would miss her when the inevitable happened. He needed to step away now, try to forget her.

"Goodbye, Nami," he mumbled, flicking off the light of his studio and leaving her behind in the dark.

* * *

><p>"Usopp," Robin greeted him with a warm smile. "I'm sorry I'm late, I got your call about the piece for the gallery exhibition?"<p>

Usopp felt his stomach sink. Some foolish part of him had hoped something would happen to his message to Robin. That the satellite that conveyed the signal would suddenly crash and burn and lose the message before it had the chance to be delivered.

But that wasn't how technology worked, and here was Robin, ready to pick Nami up and send her on her way to her new life.

"Yeah," Usopp said. His voice was dry, emotionless, but his body sagged with the weight of his emotions. "Right this way."

Robin followed him to the studio. Every step felt like treading over thick tar, his feel sticking and reluctant to move. He had to do this, it was a promise and he knew that, but his very being seemed to rebel the whole idea.

"Here she is."

Usopp turned her canvas so she faced the room. Nami gazed at Robin with rich, reddish-brown eyes and smiled with such serenity she might have been an angel. But she was just Nami, his finest work.

Robin's eyes roved the canvas, raking in every detail. She worked with art often enough to be somewhat of a pro at detecting quality. Usopp could see the interest sparkling in Robin's eyes, her love for the girl in the painting forming just as surely as Usopp's had. But it was not the same. To Robin, Nami was an investment. To Usopp, she was perfection.

"She's beautiful," Robin said, her words genuine and firm. It was a fact, and a true one.

Robin's eyes searched Usopp. He could feel them on him, and fought to keep his face straight and free of emotion. His eyes never moved in Nami's direction, not even once. He was afraid of what he would see there, of the disappointment she must feel for him. It was easier this way, to pretend she didn't exist until she was actually gone.

Robin smiled knowingly.

"She's beautiful," she said again. "But I'm not sure she'll be good enough for the exhibition."

"What?!" Usopp cried in disbelief.

"Yes." Robin moved about the room, observing the other paintings Usopp had hanging around. Some of them were still unfinished pieces. Some were finished, but didn't hold a candle to Nami's perfection.

"What about him?" Robin asked. She had stopped in front a painting of a boy. He was around Usopp's age, but his oversized, radiant smile made him look much younger.

"Him?" Usopp asked. His voice was trembling, and he cleared his throat. "But his smile is too big and his scar, I couldn't make it look real."

"Maybe," Robin said, turning to look at the boy again. "But he gives me warmth." She looked back to Usopp. "I want him, would that be okay?"

Usopp's felt his heart swell. His hands felt numb, his mouth dry. He couldn't believe his ears.

"You want him… instead of Nami?" he asked. He didn't dare to hope, he didn't dare to think it could be possible.

"Nami…" Robin glanced down at the girl in the painting. "She's beautiful, but I don't think she's meant for this exhibition," she said. "I'll take the boy instead."

"Yes!" Usopp's mouth shouted the word before his brain had time to process it. "Yes, you can take him."

Robin smiled. "Perfect."

* * *

><p>Usopp did not leave Nami in his studio. She was not for sale, not for auction, not for anyone else but himself. He would not make the same mistake twice. He had been given a second chance and he would not waste it.<p>

He framed her in an ornate, golden frame, and hung her on a wall in his living room. She was clearly visible from anywhere a person stood in the room, and she was the only painting on the wall.

Her eyes glittered at him. Her serene smile looked warmer, more genuine, happy.

_Ahh._ He could almost hear her sigh. _This is what I wanted. Thank you._


	25. Chapter 25

_**aerle said: **For the prompt thing: ShanksBenn - detectives :3_

_Rated: T for mild violence_  
><em>339 words<em>

* * *

><p>"I have deduced several clues from the-"<p>

"Stop talking that way," Benn said, kneeling down to examine the body more closely. "And you can't deduce anything if you don't actually look at the clues."

Shanks' face fell and his shoulders sagged. "Come on, you know I've never been one to follow the procedures. That's boring."

Detective Benn Beckman snorted. It was the truth, his partner was useless when it came to playing by the rules, but in all their time as partners, Benn had never truly complained. There was no one he'd rather work with. Shanks was a free-spirited kind of fellow, but he was sharp as a tack and never turned his back on a comrade. In fact, Benn had even come to admire his partner, and though Shanks only acted like a competent detective half the time, Benn saw him as a sort of leader. Maybe that was just his aura.

"What do you think?" Shanks asked, leaning over Benn's shoulder. He was once again invading Benn's personal space, but that was another thing Benn didn't really complain about.

"Is it a cold blooded murder? Serial killer? Our guy?" Shanks asked. His excitement seemed to ride with every word.

Benn hummed skeptically. "Look's like a crime of passion."

The words had only just left his mouth when the shots were fired. The police around the scene scattered, ducking for cover as a man dressed in black, nondescript clothing fired at them from around the corner.

Shanks forced Benn's head down, half shielding him with his own body. This was the thing about Shanks that got to Benn the most. Fiercely loyal and protective of his own, even in the most dangerous of situations.

The gunman fled. His gun was out of bullets and he was making his getaway.

"Let's go Benn!" Shanks cried, pulling his own gun from his holster and giving chase without a thought for the consequences.

Benn followed, just like he always did. But there was not one else he'd rather follow than Shanks.


	26. Chapter 26

_**iggysgirl89 said:** Do you think you might be able to do another chapter for the creepy neighbor Doffy, where Doffy bumps into Sanji and Zoro, He makes a grab at Sanji, and after seeing how bad he gets Zoro makes himself really known?! (work your magic)_

_Creepy neighbor Doffy returns_

_Rated T  
>1,079 words<em>

* * *

><p>Sanji hummed as he put the finishing touches on Zoro's breakfast. He was feeling great. Better than great, he felt <em>amazing<em>. Zoro had been playing watchdog for the past few nights, and Sanji had never slept so well. Sure, it was a little in convenient to have to share his bed with the marimo (who slept like a log and tended to hog the blankets) but the point was he _could_ sleep, which was a massive step up from the way he'd been living before. Having Zoro there was a comfort. He could sleep knowing if Doflamingo tried anything in the night, he'd have to get through the moss head first.

Sanji tore off a piece of saran wrap around the plate of omelets and slipped it into the fridge. Zoro worked odd hours, and most of the time he didn't need to be up as early as Sanji was. Sanji still did him the courtesy of making breakfast; it was just up to Zoro to reheat it.

Sanji was still humming as he put his coat and shoes on. He no longer had to leave so early, he could leave at his usual time, which gave him hours more to sleep. Having Zoro around seemed to make a world of difference. Not only did Sanji feel safer inside his own home, he felt safer outside of it as well. He used to see Doflamingo everywhere he went, but since Zoro had come around, things had been nice and flamingo free for Sanji. He felt _awesome_.

As he was tying the laces of his shoes, Sanji thought he could hear a faint knocking against the wall next door. He froze for a second, pausing to listen carefully. The noise continues, an erratic tapping sound from the other side of the wall, but Sanji shrugged it off. It was amazing how the little things that would have frightened him so much before were so easy to dismiss now. He assumed the noise was just his neighbor stirring something or perhaps brushing something off. There were any number of plausible reasons for the sound, and now that Sanji's fear had vanished he found them much more reasonable. He was starting to wonder if maybe he'd been making it all up in his head the whole time.

Sanji grabbed his keys and unlocked the door, opening it and slipping out as quietly as possible so as not to wake Zoro. Just as his apartment door fell shut, he heard the click of his neighbors lock sliding open.

"Why, good morning," Doflamingo said, stepping out into the hallway from his building.

Sanji froze. His confidence from just a few minutes ago vanished in a cloud of smoke. Here, face to face with the man he feared, Sanji didn't feel safe anymore. He tried to brush it off as a coincidence, but Doflamingo was shirtless and wearing a pair of pajama pants. There was no reason for him to leave the house like that except to bump into Sanji.

Doflamingo towered over him, seeming to cast a shadow over Sanji.

"Good morning," Sanji replied. He tried to keep his voice casual, but it sounded forced, even to him. He was dying for a cigarette, if only just to keep his hands busy for a moment. But his apartment building had a strict "no smoking in the hallways" rule, so instead his hands hung uselessly at his sides. He shoved them in his pockets to keep them from shaking.

"It's been a while since I last saw you," Doflamingo commented. He took another step closer to Sanji. It was a slow, deliberate step. Sanji wanted to flee, but the stairwell was blocked by the bird man's oversized, stooping figure, and stepping backwards felt like he was admitting weakness. He didn't want to seem submissive or afraid in front of his neighbor, it might give the man an opportunity to strike.

"Yeah," Sanji replied. He wasn't sure if that meant it had been a long time since Sanji had been in his apartment of if it had been a while since Doflamingo had seen him around town.

Another slow, deliberate step. He was uncomfortably close to Sanji now.

"I didn't forget about you," Doflamingo said. His voice was smooth and deadly. "I thought about you all the time, actually."

As he spoke, his hand moved, his fingers brushing against Sanji's arm. Sanji flinched, and warning bells went off in his mind. He had to get out of there, _now_.

"All the things I could do to you…"

Before Doflamingo could elaborate, Sanji's apartment door flew open. Sanji startled, jumping backwards, and the bird man's fingers fell away.

"Hey, Sanji," Zoro said. His face red on one side and imprinted with the creases of Sanji's sheets. He was shirtless as well, and his eyes were red rimmed and watery. He looked like he had just woken up. "Where's breakfast?"

Doflamingo frowned, staring at Zoro through the ever present sunglasses. Sanji could see a vein pop on his forehead.

"Who are you?" Doflamingo asked. His voice was demanding and lethally sharp.

Zoro looked as if he had just noticed someone was there for the first time.

"Oh, nice to meet you," Zoro said, holding out his hand. "I'm his boyfriend."

Doflamingo stared at the hand Zoro offered as if it were an insect. After a moment, Zoro pulled his hand away and shrugged.

"Anyway," Zoro said to Sanji. "Get back in here and cook for me." He grabbed Sanji by the wrist and pulled him back into the apartment, shutting the door firmly behind them.

For a moment, Sanji and Zoro leaned against the door together in silence. On the other side, they could hear Doflamingo walk back down the hall. Only when the door shut behind him did they speak.

"My _boyfriend_?" Sanji asked, disgust written plainly on his face.

Zoro chuckled. "You wouldn't be my first choice either, cook, but it worked didn't it?"

It did work. The tapping on the wall had stopped. The apartment next door was quiet.

"Yeah," Sanji said, a faint smile on his face. Having Zoro around really was turning out to be a good thing.

"Now get to work, cook," Zoro said. "You wouldn't want to be late."

Sanji opened the door and stepped out into the hall again. This time, the door next to his remained firmly closed, and Sanji couldn't help but smile as he walked past it.


	27. Chapter 27

_**noldien said:** Hi! I hope this isn't too late, but for writing prompt, how about a drabble on Monet and how and why she got wings? Like an introspection of hers? Sorry if it's not very creative or you don't like her, it's totally alright. :D_

_Rated: K+  
>392 words<em>

* * *

><p>She was told to do whatever he asked of her.<p>

Those were her instructions from Joker. She was supposed to keep an eye on Caesar, and protect him from harm. He was essential to Joker's plans, but he wasn't one of them. Caesar was not a member of their family, and so he couldn't be trusted. Monet would watch him, and while she was watching him, she would do whatever he asked.

It was not a job she was unfamiliar with. She was sly, conniving, and good at what she did. She could perform this job as easily as the ones she had worked in the past. She could wait, observe, and assist. Just like Joker ordered her to.

Except that Caesar was not like her usual charges.

"I want you to take care of the heart of my secretary, Monet."

She couldn't refuse him, because those were Joker's orders.

"…As you wish."

She hated it.

Her life was her own. She had sworn it to Joker, but it was still hers. Without her heart she was weakened, her life was no longer her own. Law held it in his hands, and Caesar had put it there.

It was a lack of control she didn't like. Her role in the family, the job she was given, and her duty to Joker — these things didn't leave her much freedom. But she was still her own person… Until she wasn't. Until her life was beyond her control.

She just wanted to rise above it.

"I want legs like theirs," she said. "Strong legs."

He regarded her with guarded amber eyes. He was not a likable man, nor did she trust him, but in that moment, she felt he understood. Perhaps he also knew something about losing control.

"Your legs are fine," he said.

"Please."

He smiled, that sly, devious smile. The kind of smile that warned her not to trust him. It was an honest smile.

"I can give you something better."

It was almost freedom. Almost. Soaring above the oppressive factory, above the snowy landscape and the dead land of magma and fire, she could forget that she was bound. She could forget that her life was not her own, that she was a gambling piece for others. She could forget that she was not in control.

In those moments, she was free.


	28. Chapter 28

_Prompt meme from **Aerle**: ShanksBenn - Things you said after you kissed me.  
><em>

_2,083 words  
>Rated: K<em>

* * *

><p>It started with vehement denial.<p>

"That party last night was wild!" Lucky-roo exclaimed, squeezing his round body onto the bench next to between Yasopp and Benn.

"Too wild for you to be shouting like that," Yasopp moaned, pressing his forehead against the rough surface of the dining table.

"Oh come on, Yasopp!" Shanks sat across from them and lifted his mug as if proposing a toast. Dark liquid sloshed inside the cup, coffee no doubt, but the strong scent of liquor wafted up as their captain brandished it. "Drink up some more! Nothing cures a hangover like more booze!"

Yasopp groaned and rolled his head to the side, away from his captain and the potent odor of alcohol.

Lucky-roo tipped his own glass to his captain before continuing. "Shame the food went so fast though. That meat was excellent."

"Oh god," Yasopp moaned again, clapping a hand over his mouth and going pale. "Don't talk about food either."

Lucky-roo chuckled at his friend's misfortune, and then his smile turned devilish. It was obvious by the foreboding grin on his face that he'd been waiting for this moment since he'd sat down.

"It was certainly a wild party…" he mused, peering at them each in turn through his sunglasses. His eyes paused on his captain and then ultimately settled on Benn. "I saw something good."

Benn quirked one eyebrow in warning. He figured he knew exactly what Lucky-roo had seen, and it would save him a lot of headache if his crewmate _didn't_ run his mouth about it. Across the table, Shanks had gone suspiciously still, his forkful of food halfway to his mouth.

"What did you see?" Yasopp asked curiously, rolling his head back so that he faced the others once more. His hangover seemed to be forgotten in favor of his curiosity.

"I saw captain kissing Benn!" Lucky-roo declared, a self-satisfied smile on his face as he made his dramatic exclamation.

Benn brought his fist down onto his crewmates head, effectively erasing the pleased grin from his face. Lucky-roo cried out, ducking his head and shielding it from any further attacks.

"_What_?!" Yasopp asked, widened eyes shooting from between his captain and his first mate.

"Roo!" Shanks' voice boomed dangerously, causing Lucky-roo to shrink down further inside of himself.

"Benn?!" Yasopp turned his startled stare fully onto the first mate.

Benn took a quiet sip of his drink and peeked sidelong at his cowering crewmate. Lucky-roo watched Shanks with fearful eyes. The captain himself pushed himself up from the table, the full force of his power commanding their attention.

When he spoke, his voice was calm, but that calmness only vaguely hid the promise of danger. Like a steady sea before the onslaught of a storm.

"Nothing. Happened." Shanks said, looking from Lucky-roo to Yasopp. His eyes flicked in Benn's direction for a moment, but he was quick to look away.

"I won't have you making up such ridiculous rumors for the sake of a good joke," Shanks continued, the danger sliding out of his voice as he regained his cool. "Now, if you'll excuse me."

Shanks pushed himself away from the table, greeting a few of his crew members on his way out of the mess hall, and stopping to speak with their navigator in the doorway. The remaining three watching him go, and held their tongues until he was out of sight.

"I know what I saw, Lucky-roo frowned, shooting Benn a look.

Benn pushed himself away from the table as well, ignoring his troublemaking crewmate.

"You heard the captain," he said. "You'd do well to watch yourself, Roo."

He didn't stay to hear his remaining two friends begin to gossip. He deposited his dishes into the galley bin and saw himself out of the mess hall.

Next came the avoidance.

The kiss wasn't really a big deal, or at least Benn hadn't thought so. He wasn't even sure it could be called a kiss; it was more of a drunken smash of Shanks' lips against his own, leaving too much saliva and a lingering taste of soured grog behind. It happened in the heat of a celebration, a party thrown in honor of their latest treasure discovery. They were both more than a little drunk, and high on the exhilaration of their reward.

Benn hadn't paid the action any mind. He was old enough and wise enough to understand that sometimes these things happened, particularly when the booze was plentiful and emotions were high. People tended to get carried away with themselves. It was a harmless offense, really, and Benn would have let it go without mention… had it not been for Shanks' behavior about it.

Benn reported to the captain's office just after breakfast, the same as he did every day. He and Shanks would spend a little of the morning deciding on their next course, whether it was to make a stop for supplies or to trace the route to their next goal.

On this day however, Shanks' attention was only half was it usually was, and his energy was unusually high-strung. Rather than standing at the map beside his first mate as he usually did, Shanks paced the length of his office. If his rapid meandering to and fro brought him too close to Benn, he quickly righted his course so that he would give his first mate a wide birth. For a few minutes, Benn let his captain carry on that way, amused by the erratic, jerky movements and the strange, outright stupid behavior that Shanks was displaying. But after the first few minutes, Benn's amusement faded, and he started to feel the slightest tinges of annoyance pulling at him.

"Captain," he called. "Are we going to review today's course?"

"What?" Shanks seemed to snap from his thoughts as if someone had hit him. For a moment, his eyes connected with Benn's, and his movements ceased. His energy calmed down to its usual adventurous excitement. Then almost as quickly as their eyes had met, Shanks tore his away again.

"Actually I better get back to the deck. The doc had something he wanted to talk about. I'll leave the course to you."

Before Benn could comment, Shanks left the captain's office. With him went the sense of agitation that seemed to roll of him in waves, leaving the room feeling much quieter and more at ease than before.

Benn stared at the door his captain had disappeared through, a frown etched onto his face. Shanks' odd behavior couldn't have been caused by a simple kiss, could it? Benn hadn't even thought to bring the kiss back up this morning, and had it not been for Lucky-roo's gossiping, the whole event would have been forgotten along with many other of their drunken escapades. Shanks had already gone through the trouble of pretending it hadn't happened, and Benn had been content to go along with that ruse. Why retreat from a room Benn had barely set foot inside then?

It was high time for a confrontation.

"It didn't happen," Benn said, folding his arms over his chest. "Isn't that what you said?"

Shanks shot a furtive glance around at their surroundings, but Benn knew there would be no interruptions or interferences. Benn knew how to keep a private matter private, and he also knew how best to corner his captain so that he couldn't make a quick escape. He had been with Shanks for too many years.

"What didn't happen?" Shanks asked, a poor imitation of confusion on his face.

"The kiss you denied so completely at breakfast," Benn said.

Shanks winced. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Benn sighed. He had little patience for the childish games.

"I was content to pretend it didn't happen," Benn said. "But the avoidance is going a little too far."

"What avoidance?" Shanks asked. "If you're talking about this morning, I had a genuine reason to leave our usual meeting early, you see."

"Is it the same reason you're looking for an escape right now?"

Shanks' body stiffened and his posture sank back, relaxing into its usual state. He stopped craning his neck to try and see a way out around Benn's body, and he let his shoulders drop. As his body relaxed, some of the high-energy agitation that seemed to have been circling him since that morning faded as well. Instead, it was replaced with a heavier sensation of defeat.

Benn sighed again and let his arms fall back to his sides. "Look, it didn't mean anything," he stated. "We'll pretend it didn't happen, and there's no harm done."

He waited for his captain to agree, his terms seemed to be exactly what Shanks was hoping for. But the expression on Shanks' face only darkened, and the weight in the room seemed to grow thicker and more oppressive.

"It meant something."

The sentence was spoken so quietly that Benn almost missed it. Only the movement of Shanks' lips tipped Benn off, and the words seemed to fall into place after that.

"What?" Benn asked, his frown returning.

Shanks' didn't look his way. He kept his eyes fixed firmly on a spot somewhere to the left of Benn's knees, but Benn doesn't need to see the look in his captain's eye to make out the next words out of his mouth, or to hear their sincerity.

"The kiss, it meant something."

Shanks' eyes flicked up to meet his for a brief second, but they turned away again almost as quickly.

Benn stared at his captain, his eyes wide in shock and surprise as the words repeated over and over in his mind. Whatever he had expected to get from this confrontation, that wasn't it.

"Ah, shit." Shanks rubbed the back of his neck in frustration. "That's really not how I wanted this to go."

"What to go?" Benn asked, because he's still confused about what exactly just happened here.

"Well it's just we've been sailing together a long time, and I know you've always got my back, and I've really come to appreciate… you…" Shanks' ramble faded off and he let the arm at his neck fall back to his side.

"You… appreciate me." Benn repeated. Leaned back against the doorway of the canon room he had trapped Shanks in, and fought back the knowing smile that threatened to twist his lips upward.

"Well, yeah! You know but…" Shanks' hands spun intricate patterns in the air while he fished for the right words.

"Captain," Benn interrupted, "are you implying that you'd like to kiss me again?"

Shanks smirked. "Yes. Many times."

"Oh." Benn rolled his shoulder, pushing himself away from the doorway and towards his captain, pushing passed the acceptable bounds of Shanks' personal space. "Then I don't see why you're wasting time with words."

Shanks exhaled sigh of relief, one that Benn felt against his own lips as he leaned in to meet his captain's.

The door to the canon room swung in, banging against the opposite wall with such force that it cracked this hinges, and it ground against the wood planks of the floor until it came to a screeching halt, hanging lopsided halfway into the room. Shanks and Benn pulled apart, the sound startling them from their private moment.

"Heh. Hello, Captain. Benn." Lucky-roo picked himself up from the floor, twisting slightly to deposit Yasopp's body from on top of him. Several of the other Red Haired Pirates brushed themselves off behind him, recovering from the domino effect that their bodies had taken. "Lovely weather today, huh?"

"Roo…" Shanks' voice took on that same commanding, dangerous tone again, only this time he accompanied it by placing his hand on the hilt of his sword.

Lucky-roo pushed himself through the scrambling crowd of his crewmembers, using his surprising speed to his advantage.

"I told you I wasn't lying!" he shouted back to his crewmates as he fled from his captain. Shanks had given chase almost immediately, and in the blink of an eye the two have them had disappeared above deck. Only the telltale sounds of a struggle above gave any clues as to their whereabouts.

Benn sighed and folded his arms across his chest, leaning against the doorway as he watched the last of his crew following their Captain and Lucky-roo back up to the deck. What an inconvenient interruption. He couldn't be too upset, however. He was sure he and Shanks would have plenty to discuss later.


End file.
